Hope For a New Love
by wanderlustlights
Summary: Edward comes back and sees Bella with someone else, someone he never thought she would be with...R&R please! post Twilight NOW COMPLETE! FAQ and PLAYLIST now posted, along with last chapter!
1. Memories

A/N: this is actually my second fanfiction and hopefully you people all like this story…that'd be nice read and review please! Would be very much appreciated!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own twilight…now on with it….

It's been months since Edward left. He just left. He didn't even say good-bye to me. Not one word. I woke up one morning, after a night of crying after one of our arguments about changing me, and he was gone.

I was so confused. I drove to school in my truck, and when I got there, as I was at my locker, Alice came up to me and handed me a white envelope with my name written on it.

"It's from Edward," she had said, and turned to walk away. I stared at her with a befuddled look on my face.

"Wait," I called after her. She turned back to me, a cheerless expression on her pale face. "Alice, where is he? I haven't seen him since last night. He stormed out on me after we had a fight."

"Read the letter." That was all she had said and left me standing there in the hallway. I instinctively opened the envelope, not exactly hoping for the worst, and that it would be something happy in at least the tiniest bit. It definitely had no happy written anywhere within his words, in his beautiful penmanship.

_My dearest Isabella,_

_I'm sorry that you have to hear about this in a letter. You have no idea how sorry I am. After our argument last night I couldn't stand to be near you anymore. At least for the time being, anyways. I'm extremely sorry and I hope that in time you can grow to forgive me. _

_When you get this letter I will be long gone, probably already at my destination. Alaska. I'm going there so that I can clear my head. I just need some time apart from you. I'm sorry. I know that I've said that about a million times already, but that's how I feel. I love you, but I'm not quite sure what else there is that I can do. You've pushed me over the edge, as people so plainly put it. I told Alice, along with everyone else, to not tell you anything until you got this letter. I figured that you would rather hear it from me, rather than them. _

_I think that this is what's better for the both of us. Well, what's best for us for right now, anyways. I hope that you can understand my decision. Please. _

_I'm not quite sure when I'll be back, maybe days, maybe months. Know that I love you, always and forever. I'll come back for you. _

_I love you,_

Edward 

I remember slumping back against the row of lockers, making a large noise as they clunked against each other. It was so heartbreaking. I couldn't believe that Edward would leave me. My Edward, gone. And I had no idea when he was coming back.

I had cried and cried for weeks, until one day, they ceased. My eyes had run dry, and I had no tears left to shed. The rest of the Cullens never came over and talked to me to see how I was doing. I never went over to them, afraid that if I said one thing to them that I would bring on a whole other set of tears.

I started sitting with Jessica, Angela, and Mike at lunch once again, always right next to Mike, with Jessica on my other side. The two of them had broken up about two weeks before Edward had left. We were in our senior year now and it was November, just after Halloween. When I talked to Mike about their break-up, he had told me that the reason was because Jessica had figured out that Mike still had feelings for me. I don't really know what I was thinking. I must have been out of my mind, because I told him—extremely abruptly, I might add—that I had feelings for him, too. Mike asked me out on a date for that night, asking if I was busy or not. He knew that Edward was gone, and took my newly single status as his chance with me. I reluctantly said yes to the date, internally kicking myself for being so vulnerable at the moment.

I had decided to wear almost one of the only skirts that I owned, which was a green wool, and a white tank top, leaving my hair flowing down my back. For our date, he had taken me to a fancy restaurant, where he told me to order 'anything I like.' I chose carefully, finally picking a fettuccine alfredo dish, while he chose to have ravioli, making me burst out crying, thinking back Edward and the food I had eaten on our first date, where he had told me everything. Mike put his hands on my left one, which was placed on the table, where I had slammed it down, hard, when I had started crying. I had promised myself I wouldn't cry on this date. My other arm had been bent at the elbow, holding up my head, as I looked to the side, staring at other couples in the restaurant, tears flowing freely down my cheeks. When he touched my hand, I looked at him, wonder flooding through me. I wondered what it would be like to be with him. I mean, I had only been with one guy before, and that was Edward.

"Mike-" I had started, but before I knew it, he was leaning over the table, kissing me. At first I was shocked, but then I started getting used to it, closing my eyes. I still hadn't started breathing regularly, so it was cut short from me not having enough breath. I couldn't seem to help liking Mike at that moment, even if I _was_ vulnerable. Edward had been gone for weeks since then, and it felt nice to be needed and wanted again. Mike pulled back once he realized I had staggered breathing, and looked at me, sitting back in his chair, shock overcoming him, too. I couldn't help but smile. My face was still wet from tears, but I quickly wiped them off. It was nice. For the first time in weeks I wasn't thinking about Edward. I wasn't thinking about anything that even had to do with him, thanks to Mike. He was just what I needed to get my mind off of all the bad things that had been going on lately. He was my escape.

The rest of the night, we talked about random things, from school to family. He wanted to know everything about me. I asked him some questions; he would answer them, and then turn the same question to me. I smiled the first time he did that, because it seemed like he actually did want to know about my life. Especially my life back in Phoenix, because he had never been there before. He surprised me when he said this, so I decided to ask him where else he had ever been. He said that the only other place he had ever been was just Florida and a select few other states.

When the food finally came, I looked at my watch to see how long it had taken. It had already been forty-five minutes. I suddenly realized that this place was incredibly busy when I glanced around at the other completely full tables, along with the long line by the door. Then I noticed that if Mike and I had been talking for that long then we must have more qualities alike than I thought we did. I smiled back at Mike, who was already doing that to me, and started to eat my food. When we were done we shared a tiramisu for dessert and got up to leave the restaurant after he paid the bill and tipped the waiter.

We had gotten back into Mike's car and he drove me home to my now empty house, thanks to Charlie, who had gone fishing for the week, taking time off of work.

"So…" I had said. I never was the best with good-byes.

"So…" he had mused. "I…guess I'll see you tomorrow, then, huh?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

Then he leaned in and kissed me again. I couldn't believe how different it was from kissing Edward. It was amazing how different they really were.

The next day we met up at my locker and talked about the previous night. "So, I hope you weren't uneasy about the whole kissing thing last night. It's just that I really do like you, Bella."

With that said, Mike and I started hanging out with each other more and more, kissing involved when it seemed the right time.

It's been months now, and I was actually happy. I was happy when I was with Mike. I was happy when he called. I found that we really did have things in common, and that I actually could be happy with someone else. Mike kissed me, and I smiled, for I was as happy as I have been in months. I giggled slightly at Mike, who kept planting kisses on my neck playfully. And then I saw him as I looked past Mike's shoulder. I saw Edward, walking through the school. Edward stopped abruptly as he saw Mike kiss me once more before he walked to class, and his golden eyes smoldered into me, angry as ever. Oh no. This wasn't good.

A/N: oh wow so I really hope you all liked this chapter…it seemed pretty easy to write, and im having a little case of the writer's block syndrome so im writing a new story right now, and hopefully the next chapters of this story and my other story, graduation, love, and many changes, will both be up sometime soon…hope you like this chapter…I know it's a bit slow, kind of, but it'll pick up next chapter…both his and her point of views so look out for that chapter! Yay!


	2. Confrontation

DISCLAIMER: I don't own twilight, never have, never will…too bad for me, I guess…

A/N: im so glad that I got such positive feedback already so ive decided to write the next chapter now…by the way, its cool because its been exactly a month since ive posted my first fanfiction—wow! Lol hope this chapter satisfies all of you trinatwilight11 fans out there lol j/k hope you like this chapter…so, without further ado….

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_I giggled slightly at Mike, who kept planting kisses on my neck playfully. And then I saw him as I looked past Mike's shoulder. I saw Edward, walking through the school. Edward stopped abruptly as he saw Mike kiss me once more before he walked to class, and his golden eyes smoldered into me, angry as ever. Oh no. This wasn't good._

Edward's POV:

As I walked through the halls of Forks High, I could hear the minds and voices of everyone, shocked that I had returned.

Turning around, I saw someone with Mike Newton. Someone who definitely wasn't Jessica. Her chocolate colored hair flipped through the air as she giggled at Mike, sending her scent crashing into me. I stared even harder at her. Her brilliant smile sent recognition all over me. It was Bella. My Bella. How in the world was it possible? She was with…_Mike_? Why would Bella be kissing _Mike_? She couldn't honestly _like _him, could she? I stared disgustingly at the sight of her with Mike, rage filling my insides. Finally, he left her to head to his first period classroom. I definitely felt like hurting him now, more than ever.

Bella's POV:

I stood there by the lockers, completely speechless. He was back. Edward Cullen was back. How was that even possible? He had left months ago, without a sure knowledge of when he would come back.

I must have blinked a million times in that one minute, just to make sure that it was really him and not just some hallucination I was having. It definitely wasn't a hallucination. He was no mirage. He was actually here, standing in the hallway with me, barely twenty feet from me.

I finally somehow managed to get out a pathetic sentence to him. "Hi."

"Hi? I come back from being gone for three months and all I get is a 'hi'?"

"Hi, Edward…?" I said, still trying to contain my shock, but failing miserably.

He advanced towards me, faster than I would have liked, making me back up hard into the lockers, hurting my back on the locker's lock. "That's better," he said, and smiled. His eyes suddenly turned dark. He definitely startled me when he said the next thing. "How could you be _kissing_ _him_?" I stood there, eyes wide.

"Umm…well, I-" I stammered, but I had absolutely no idea what to say.

"How could you do this to me?" he shouted, and started rubbing his temples.

"Why did you have to leave me, Edward?" I shouted back, finally finding the words. I didn't exactly care that we were the only two in the hallway now, as the bell had rung only a minute before.

"Listen, I'm sorry, alright!" he was still yelling. "It was what was necessary to do to keep you alive!"

"Edward, when you left me I wanted to die because of it! I felt that bad!"

"Well, it sure doesn't look that way anymore." His voice was cold and he had lowered it about ten notches.

"What are you talking about?"

"Two words. Mike. Newton."

I glared at him. "I like him, Edward. I really do. And nothing you can say or do will be able to change that." My last words I said in low voice, cutting like ice. "I've moved on. You should, too." I turned to walk to class, but a cool hand pulled me back to him.

"Bella, wait," he pleaded, turning me back around to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just that I leave for three months only to come back to see you kissing Newton! Why?"

"Why? Because, Edward! You left me, only to explain why in a _note_! I would've at least liked for you to have _said_ something to me! That was just such an improper way of saying good bye to me and you know it!" I put my forefinger and thumb to the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Maybe I would have taken it better that way," I said softly this time. I looked back up at him. "But you left, and I turned to someone else for comfort. He was always there, Edward, after you left, and now I'm with _him. Not you,_" I told him, anger rising within me. "After all, _he_ wasn't the one who left me all of a sudden," I told him, crossing my eyes over my chest.

"It won't last, you know. Just…" he sighed before saying the next part, "just know that I…love you."

I looked at him again, as my eyes had drifted to something on a wall, and now saw his eyes a deep gold. I stared at him for a moment, then gave out a grunt, and stormed off down the hallway to my classroom.

"Ahh, Ms. Swan, it's good to see you," the teacher said to me. "Please, do take your seat."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bentley, I forgot my books in my locker. It won't happen again." I gave a small smile and went to my seat next to Mike.

He leaned over to whisper in my ear. "Bella, are you okay? What really happened out there? Class started five minutes ago."

"It was nothing. Just some guy," I kissed his cheek, leaned back in my seat, and then rolled my eyes at the thought of Edward, him telling me he still loved me, him asking me to forgive him. Like _that_ would ever happen anytime soon.


	3. Presents

DISCLAIMER: hey peoples don't own it, deal with it lol

A/N: I got such positive feedback already from all of you so im definitely thankin ya now! THANK YOU! lol but seriously though it's good to know that you like it…and, hmm, maybe she _won't _choose Edward and choose Mike instead…but, alas, you'll just have to suffer until the end…darn for you lol j/k I need some more conflict though so I can make a whole lot more chapters SOMEONE HELP! Lol by the way, you guys, it was weird because I wrote that whole second chapter in one sitting in about two hours or less yesterday…yikes I don't think I've ever done that before lol

Alrighty, so these are for all of you chapter 2 reviewers out there! Enjoy your praises!

Opaque: yeah I know it _is_ a bit harsh for Bella, but I felt it was necessary to get her point across, if you know what I mean…lol

Seraphyn: yeah I know it's strange to think about her kissing some guy like Mike shudders lol

Twilight.xx3: lol I made you cry? Lol that's funny hehehe evil laugh lol j/k yeah don't we all wish Edward wins? Lol like I said in the author's note up there, you'll just have to wait and see who wins…lol

Bluemoon-175: thank you! I will, see im updating right now! Lol

Raging Raven: thanks! Lol yup im continuing! Yay! lol

Now, I won't delay this any longer…here you go!

Edward's POV:

I can't believe she just left me here. I tell her I love her and she just runs off to her classroom without even saying one word to me in response. But it was true; I really _do _still love her. I probably always will, even if she doesn't feel the same with me one day. But, I still don't understand how she could be with Newton. It disgusts me even thinking about the two of them together. I mean, she couldn't honestly tell me that she has the same feelings for him that I do for her, could she? Either way, I need to get out of this school. It's stifling in here, with certain couples kissing all the time.

Bella's POV:

I haven't seen Edward all day, now. He was nowhere to be seen at lunch. I'm looking at the Cullens' table right now, where there were only four of them. I kept my eyes on the look-out for Edward, prepared to argue if that was what he really wanted, but I never saw him. I decided that I would talk to the Cullens for the first time in months. It's still lunch right now, so I had time. I took a deep breath and got up to walk to them.

"Where's Edward?" I asked them abruptly.

"Well, well, well," Rosalie started. "If it isn't little miss Bella, finally coming to talk to us again. Don't _you_ know where he is?"

I glared at her. "No."

Alice turned to me. "Bella, he only came back because he wanted to see you again. Not see you and _him_ together. Edward apologized. Can't you just forgive him?" she said in a soft tone.

I took in a hard breath and looked to a lunchroom wall. "I can't, Alice. I just can't. I don't think you know what it feels like to have your boyfriend just up and leave with no warning."

"That may be so, but we all know what it feels like to have your _brother_ just 'up and leave,' as you put it. Edward never gave us a warning, either. He was just gone one morning, with a note for us and another for you. So, please, don't think we don't know how it feels. Because we do." Alice turned back to the rest of her family, leaving me standing there, stunned. "Go find him. Please. Talk to him. Before he decides to leave again, under the impression that you don't still love him or have even the slightest feelings for him. Even though we all know you do." I walked away slowly, feeling bad about what I had said to them. I decided to skip the rest of the school day after lunch and go look for Edward.

"Mike," I addressed him at our lunch table. He turned to look up at me. "I'm not feeling too well, I think I'm going to go home."

"Oh, Bella, are you sure you'll be okay? You're not getting sick, are you?"

"No, I think it's just a stomach ache. There's no need to worry, I'll be fine," I told him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek before turning to head out the cafeteria door.

"Well, alright, but feel better," he said hesitantly. "I'll call you later, then."

I just nodded my head and left without another word. I felt bad for lying to Mike about it. He didn't even know that Edward was back yet. But I had to do this myself, and my way. I needed to find Edward.

"Bella." Shock overcame Esme's face when she opened the door to the Cullen household, me standing on the steps leading up to it. "Well, this is a surprise," she announced and smiled at me.

"Hi, Esme," I greeted her with a smile then paused. "Is Edward here, by any chance? He came to school this morning and we sort of got into a huge argument. Do you know where he is? I really need to talk to him."

Esme smiled wholeheartedly and opened the door even further. "He's upstairs in his room, dear. You can go right up. I think he'll be pleased to see you again."

I smiled at her as I moved past her, and thanked her shyly.

I walked the steps leading up to the second floor slowly. I found myself at the door to Edward's room sooner than I would have liked. It felt like I was walking to my death. I didn't think that this was going to go over very well.

I knocked on the door. "Edward? It's me, Bella." I paused before saying the next thing and took a deep breath. "Do you mind if I come in?"

About five seconds later, he opened the door slowly, a heartbreaking look on his face.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Isabella."

"Oh, come on, Edward, don't be like that!"

"Like what?" he asked, then moved all the way over to sit on his couch in the blink of an eye.

"You know what I mean. I don't want you giving me the third degree and everything just because you think that I should just be able to forgive you all of a sudden just because you want me to!" I hadn't meant to yell it, but it just seemed to come out that way.

"Yes, maybe that isn't the way I should act."

"Thank you," I told him, my voice calming down a little, and I looked at the floor for a moment.

"I should be jealous." I looked back up at him.

"What?" I asked, not quite sure if that was what I heard him say or not.

"I should be jealous of Mike. He's the one who has the most beautiful girl in the school. The only girl who _I've_ ever really loved. Mike doesn't know how good he has it." He said this last part a lot softer.

"And why exactly is _that_?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

"Mike never really liked you for your personality, Bella, it was all just for your looks. He doesn't deserve you."

"Don't act like you know everything about our relationship, Edward. Please, just don't."

He got up and came over to me. "I'm not _trying_ to. Can't you just believe me when I say that I'm sorry? I know, I shouldn't have left, but it seemed right at the time. I'm sorry for everything. Everything that has happened since I left. I'm sorry that Mike got to ease your pain before I could. I'm sorry that I missed your birthday. I'm sorry that all the times that you were with Mike that it could have been me you were with. I'm sorry, Bella, I'm so incredibly sorry." He was looking at me now, staring deep into my eyes, with my hands in his, making me stare right back at his. We were definitely too close right now. I mean, we were broken up; I was with Mike now. Couldn't he just accept that fact? I suppose he couldn't because at that moment, he interrupted my thoughts by kissing my lips. Hard. Passionately. I had forgotten what that felt like. It was so different from what kisses I had received in the last three months.

As if suddenly realizing what was happening, I tore myself away from Edward, breaking the kiss, and leaving him standing there, amazed. "No. Edward, no." I couldn't help but keep repeating the word. I muttered it all the way as I walked down the stairs and started to open the door, but was then caught by Edward's cool hand.

"Bella, wait!" he called after me as I walked out the door and to my truck. "Wait," he pleaded as I started to unlock the door. He was holding a large box covered in gift-wrap with a dark blue bow on it. I looked from Edward to the box and back again.

"A present?" I asked, completely confused.

"Your birthday present. I wasn't there. I told myself that even if I missed it that I would buy you something and give it to you when I returned." He smiled.

I looked down at it, took it from his loose grasp, and got in my truck. "Thank you, Edward," I murmured softly before going out of the long driveway. I tried hard not to glance over at the gift while driving but it was much too tempting. I ended up pulling over on the side of the road to open it when I was a little less than halfway home. I picked it up from off the seat. It was surprisingly light. The present was perfectly wrapped in paper that was light blue with white angels holding balloons in their hands. I found myself smile at that. I opened up the box's cover only to find one of a smaller size inside of it. I opened up the next. It went on like this for a few more times. In a box further down, I found a note taped to the top of it. It read:

_Okay, okay, I won't delay any longer. Open up the next to find your present. _

_Love,_

_Edward_

I gave a small smile at his idea of a joke. I then read what he wrote at the bottom of the note.

P.S. There are actually two parts to your present. Look at the back of your present to get the surprise. And yes, I know that you hate surprises, Bella, but, please, just humor me.

I was confused at that. What could he possibly be surprising me with? I sighed, and then opened up the box that the note was taped to. Inside there were white and red roses, all in petals, which replaced the tissue paper. I found a stack of about four CD's, all of them different types of music. I searched through them, finding out that they consisted of Debussy, Muse, and Anna Nalick. I had only once told him about how I liked her because some of her songs reminded me so much of our relationships, along with The Veronicas, another one of the CD's he had gotten me. Taped to the back of the Debussy CD, which was on the bottom of the stack, was another note.

_Dear Bella, _

_I would like you to meet me tonight. I have something special planned for you. I'll be at the meadow, waiting. I know that you're upset with me right now, but please come, Bella. I've missed you so much. Every rose petal in here is for each day I've been away from you. I wish I could have come back to you sooner, but I thought that if I did something horrible might happen to you and I would be the cause of it. I'm ready for it now. Trust me, I am. Every second I was away from you it tore my heart in two. Please forgive me and meet me there at seven o'clock. _

_I love you, _

_Edward_

It was so hard to be mad at him when he spoke such beautiful words to me. He must have just written that today, because how else would he have known that I was mad? I slumped back in the seat of my truck, wondering what I should do. Should I go? Should I go to see the man who left me months before and who broke my heart? Or should I stay with Mike, who was the only comfort to me in my time of need? What was I going to do? And how was I going to explain to Mike that I had cheated on him, when all he ever did was be nice to me the entire time, even when I was still with Edward and treated him so badly? This was a disaster in the making. And it would get even worse if I went to meet Edward tonight.


	4. Forgiveness?

DISCLAIMER: twilight ain't mine…on with it…

A/N: hehehe it's pouring bUcKEtS outside right now…thinks of Forks, thinks of Forks lol I hope you like this chapter…I've actually only had this story up for 3 days, and I've written a chapter each day so far that it's been up so I hope I can keep doing that…by the way, message me if anyone has any ideas for the next chapter of my story "Graduation, love, and many changes"…. it'd really definitely help me out…hmm, what to do, what do do…?

Bella's POV:

I had decided—possibly against my best judgment—to actually go to see Edward that night in the meadow. I wasn't sure what to wear, as I wasn't completely positive about what he wanted me there for. I didn't know if my clothing should be casual or formal, so I decided on the in-between—a pair of nice jeans (thanks to my shopping trips with Jessica and Angela) and a dark red sweater.

I took a deep breath before walking into the woods. I sat down on the grass when I found the clearing finally, after what seemed to take forever. I pulled my knees into my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs, and stared straight ahead. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward emerging from the forest, so I started to talk, no anger or rage coming out of my mouth this time. I figured this was the perfect time to explain what had happened these last few months.

"I remember coming here once after you left and crying myself to sleep, only to wake up and go home to Charlie yelling at me and saying how I had scared him to death. I had just gone up into my room and sulked, crying and falling asleep again. It was like that for weeks, Edward, until I couldn't shed any more tears. Mike asked me out and I said yes, possibly because I was just vulnerable at the time. I'm not sure if that was the reason or not. But on our date that night, I started crying, Mike consoled me, and…kissed me." I looked over at him for the first time since I had started; he was just staring intently at me, awaiting more information. I looked back to where I had been before. "I cried after I got home that night. I'm not sure if they were joyful tears because I had finally felt better about myself for the first time in weeks. Maybe the reason I was crying was because I felt like I had betrayed you. But, in truth, you were the one who betrayed me, Edward. And I hate that. I hate that you left without basically saying anything at all. I honestly don't think you know what it felt like. I mean, have you actually ever been in my position because I don't think that you have. It tears me in two every time I think about you leaving me. I don't know how much more I can take of that. I _want_ to be with you, Edward, but how can I be sure that I can trust you?" Now I was sobbing, trying desperately to fight the tears that were coming.

"Bella, have you ever really been in pure bliss when you were with Mike?" he asked, not answering my question at all. "Has he ever made you smile the way that I did? Does he ever actually leave you completely breathless or even speechless? Were you ever truly happy with him or did you just try to make yourself believe that you were?" He paused. "Bella, you know that he can never make you happy the way that I can." By this point in time I was crying, helplessly. I also noticed that I was shaking horribly. "Isabella…can you please forgive me for my previous actions?" He looked so saddened for what he had done, and he seemed so sincere. I found myself getting lost in his golden eyes that were so full of depth.

"Edward…" I started, but was cut off for the second time that day by his passionate kiss, this one definitely more passionate than even the one of earlier that day. When we finally broke, I could see the hopefulness in his beautiful face, and how desperate he was for me to find the way to forgive him. This only made more tears stream down my face like a waterfall, sending me shaking even more. I was more messed up than I thought if he could do this to me. There was way too much obsession running through the both of us than was good for us. I simply nodded my head, slowly at first and in tiny movements, but then they grew to be faster and bigger, as we took each other in an embrace of an immeasurable time.

"Oh, Bella," he said my name as he buried his face in the crook of my neck while just holding me.

"Edward," I called back, softly, still shaking and crying now, more than even before. "Thank you."

When we finally broke our grasp with each other, Edward looked at me, his arms still on mine. "You're shaking," he noticed, and then smiled brilliantly.

I let out a short laugh and smiled back. "Yeah, well, I was a wreck without you."

"There's the old Bella," he said and smiled even huger. I returned his grin and turned around in his arms and he scooted me closer to him, holding me in a death grip. "I love you, Bella," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Edward," I responded, really meaning it. "Never leave me again…?"

"Never," he reassured me and kissed my cheek, which had turned pink from crying so much, making me smile at his actions.

"Do you really mean that?" I asked him softly.

He carried a blank expression on his face when I turned around to see his reaction.

"Edward…will you change me?"

There was an unreadable appearance on his face and he looked down to the ground, as if he would be able to find some sort of an answer there. He muttered a small "yes."

"What was that?" I asked, not quite sure if what I thought I heard was actually what he had answered with.

"Yes," he said simply and looked back up at me. "Bella, I can't afford to lose you again. Who knows how long it would take for you to forgive me then?" he mused, and smiled hugely.

I shrieked in excitement to know that I would finally be able to be with him just the way I had always dreamt of.

"So, in other words, you're saying that in those three months that you were in Alaska that that was all you decided? It took you _that_ long to decide something like that?"

"Isabella Cullen, you have no idea how important of a decision that really is!" he told me. I stared, open-mouthed at him, blinking about a hundred times.

"What did you just say?"

It appeared that the amazing Edward Cullen, a beautiful and alluring vampire, was actually…embarrassed. I smiled at him. He grinned back, dazing me momentarily. I had forgotten what that felt like. I loved it. It was like we were starting our relationship where it left off but somehow also like we were starting new at the same time.

"Well, it's just that…considering the fact that you're going to be transformed soon then it only makes sense that you would become one of us, would it not?"

"Ahhh," I said, understanding what he meant, then realized that he had said soon. "How soon is soon in your world?" I asked skeptically.

"Well, when would you like it done, my dear?"

I thought for a moment then answered him. "Umm…well, how about tomorrow. It'll be Friday, so we'll have the whole weekend. Does that work?"

"No," he said simply. "I think that it should be over the upcoming Thanksgiving break. It won't be incredibly long, but it should be long enough that you can get used to yourself. And then when the break is ended and we have to go back to school, you can decide for yourself if you can stand to be around humans for the time being. If not, then…well, we can figure it out then."

"When did you get so much time on your hands?" I asked, but then kicked myself inside for not thinking before I spoke.

"Bella, I've been around for a century. And with all the not-being-able-to-sleep thing, trust me, I've had _a lot_ of time on my hands." He grinned.

"Right. I knew that," I answered back. I felt him kiss me and I smiled, back in his embrace.


	5. My Weakness

DISCLAIMER: I do not own twilight…I mean, seriously, do I honestly look like Stephenie Meyer, here, people? lol, j/k

A/N: I should just let all of you out there reading this that this whole story started out only about three or four days before the thanksgiving break so yeah …enjoy!

BTW: If anyone wants to be my EDITOR, I could really use one…. thanks!

I awoke the next morning to Edward next to me. His eyes were closed, most likely so that he could feel a little bit human by pretending to be sleeping. I smiled at my Greek god. He must have heard felt me stirring in the bed, for he then opened his eyes. Edward smiled back at me.

"Good morning," I greeted him.

"Yes, a good morning indeed." He still had a smile on his face, which then turned into a frown. "You're going to need to tell him today."

"What?" I asked, completely confused. "Tell who?"

He sighed. "Newton."

A wave of surprise fell over me. I had completely forgotten about him. "Oh, yeah, that's right. I actually kind of forgot about him for a while there," I added shyly.

Edward's frown turned into a smug smirk. "Really?" he said slowly.

I punched him in the arm. "Yes, but don't go getting all conceited about it."

"Oh, really, I'm being conceited? I hadn't noticed," he told me, sarcasm all over it.

I glared at him. I quickly changed the subject of his vainness. "You're going to help me, right?" I asked hopefully.

"Nope."

"What? Why? I can't do it alone."

"Yes you can. You got yourself into this mess, you should be able to get yourself out." He gave me a crooked grin.

"You know, it was _you_ who got us into this whole 'mess' as you put it."

"No, no, no, now don't you go putting all the blame on me, here. You were the one who was always so tempting to me, you know."

"Hey! That's not my fault if I'm 'tempting'," I said, using air quotes. "I was made this way; it wasn't my choice, for your information." I grinned at him. Edward turned me onto my opposite side, pulling me right up against his body, his arm around my waist, and kissed my shoulder.

He sighed. "Well, for _your_ information, I've missed these arguments of ours, actually. It wasn't the same without you there with me." I could sense him smiling slightly. "I wish you could've seen Alaska with me. It's beautiful there."

"Well, we'll have to make sure we go up there sometime, then."

"Yes…we will."

I groaned as I looked at the alarm clock on my desk.

"What is it?" he asked, confused.

"School," I replied, groaning again. "And…Mike," I pulled the quilt over my head.

I heard Edward giggle.

"Oh yeah, you think this is funny?" I asked, pulling the covers off of my head. He nodded and tried to suppress his laughter, which didn't work. He kept laughing.

"Yeah, well, I'm not the one who has to break up with someone today," he said between laughs. "And…it's Mike!" He was still laughing hysterically. I just sat there, staring at him. He sure was having fun with my misery. I smiled. "I can't believe you…ever actually…liked him!" I burst out laughing, joining him. I was laughing so hard that tears started to form in my eyes, and my cheeks were turning bright pink.

I finally got up and ready about ten minutes later. No one could possibly know how wonderful it felt to be laying next to Edward again after all these months. He was the most beautiful and amazing person I knew. I decided to look extra nice today, just for him. I put on one of the skirts I had bought in the previous months from a shopping trip with Jessica, a skirt above the knee, one that was black with pink polka dots. I put on a matching pink sweater, and left my hair flowing down.

I walked back into my room after brushing my hair and my teeth. I put on a tiny bit of eye shadow and mascara, something I had gotten into the habit of doing recently.

"Wow," I heard Edward mutter softly as I walked in my room.

I smiled. That was exactly what I was going for; to make the great Edward Cullen practically speechless. He was sitting on my bed, so I walked over and sat next to him, smiling the whole way. He leaned in and kissed me hard, pushing me lightly onto the bed. I had been waiting for a reaction like that the whole morning. He pulled away finally, probably because he sensed that I couldn't exactly breathe correctly with him doing that, even though I loved it when he did. "You look beautiful, Isabella," he told me, smiling, and started planting small kisses on my neck up to my chin. He always made me smile when he said something like that.

After a few more minutes of that, we finally decided that we should go to school. He carried me down the stairs in his arms, with me kissing every inch of his neck on the way, and smiling. When we got into his Volvo, Edward turned the heat on for me, placed his jacket on my shoulders, and kissed my forehead, making me smile for the millionth time that morning. I smelled his jacket when I thought he wasn't looking, taking in his scent. I thought I might faint because I loved that smell so much. He looked over at me and laughed a little, smiling. "You missed me, too, then, huh?"

I smiled sheepishly and just nodded, while Edward decided to drive one-handedly, the other long hand holding mine, which made me smile even more. We made it to the school just in time, right as the bell rang, making Edward and me have to run to class. It must have been all of our doddling this morning that had made us late. I tripped once, so Edward pulled me onto his back, and started to run even faster so we wouldn't be completely tardy. I closed my eyes. Luckily, there weren't too many things to dodge in the school that we could possibly hit. He pulled me from my death-grip on his back as we approached the classroom, and we walked in.

Mr. Bentley stopped taking attendance as he saw us come in. "Ms. Swan, Mr. Cullen, I hope you two aren't going to make a habit out of this." We sat down next to each other without a word. I could see Mike on the other side of the classroom, confusion on his face as to why I wasn't sitting next to him, which then turned to shock as he saw Edward for the first time in months. I just looked the other way, not wanting to meet his eyes.

Edward had every class with me for the rest of the day. As Edward and I walked into the cafeteria, we were debating whether we should sit with the rest of the Cullens or sit at our own table by ourselves. I wasn't sure if Alice and the rest of them would be glad to see us together, shocked, or both. I guessed it was both as they saw us enter, hand in hand. Alice came over to where we were standing, by the door, and screeched as she came up and hugged the both of us. "Hi, Alice," I greeted her as I was still in her embrace. I looked over to the rest of the Cullens, and waved at them.

"Oh, I'm so glad you two are back together! I knew you would, I just knew it! Come on, come on, sit with us!" she told us, speaking a mile a minute. I smiled at her, and she took my hand, pulling Edward and me along with her to the table. I had completely forgotten about Mike for the moment, until I saw his hurt face, looking over at his and Jessica's table.

"Edward, come with me," I pleaded into his ear as I realized that I had to do it now. He groaned slightly and got up with me, still holding my hand. I smiled as I realized that I had won, considering the fact that he said I had to do it on my own.

We reached Mike at his table a few seconds later. "Uhh…Mike?"

He turned around to me. He kept looking from me to Edward and back again. "Yeah?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, I kind of…need to talk to you about something…" I gestured to Edward next to me. "I…umm…" Mike kept looking at me, trying to figure out what I was attempting to get out of my mouth. "Well, I-I need to-"

"She needs to break up with you," Edward told him, thankfully getting me out of the 'mess' as he called it. I looked up to him, shock on my face. "She doesn't like you, so you can go on your way now." His voice was filled with harshness. My mouth hung open at his word choice. "Good bye," he told him, and started to pull me away from Mike and the rest of the table and back to our table, making me sit down.

"Hey! Why'd you say that?" I was appalled that Edward would use those words.

"What?" He was completely oblivious.

"Edward!" I scolded him, and sat back in the chair, folding my arms over my chest. He could see the furious expression on my face. "You didn't have to say it like _that._ You're supposed to 'let him down easy,' not use harsh words!" Edward put his hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me. Realization came over me suddenly. "Hey, wait a second, I thought you said you weren't going to help me…?"

His hand fell from my shoulder. "And you think _I_ have mood swings," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "Bella, I just hated seeing you…_struggle_ like that. It was making me uncomfortable, so I helped you out." He smiled. I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Thank you," I mumbled, a smile on my face, but arms still folded over my chest.

"Now, _I'm _going to go buy you your lunch," he told me, standing up, and leaned down to kiss my forehead, making me smile. I looked over to see Mike sitting next to Jessica still. Jessica looked like she was happy that Mike was paying even the least bit of attention to her once again, as she rambled on and on about something.

Edward came back to the table with a tray of food for me. I smiled at him and he gave me a kiss on the mouth. "Hey, Edward?" I asked when he pulled away.

"Yes?" he asked as he sat down.

"What are those two thinking over there?" I wondered, gesturing toward them.

He seemed to concentrate on Jessica and Mike for a moment, then looked over at me. "Well, Jessica is just thankful that you broke up with Mike so that he's noticing her again." He paused. "And Mike…well, Mike's an idiot." He rolled his eyes.

"What?" I was confused.

"He's thinking up a plan about how he can 'kill' me. Like he ever could," he mused. I laughed a little and he joined in, along with the rest of the Cullens, all of us giggling. "I mean, seriously, I'm invincible, aren't I?"

"Practically."

"Oh yeah?" he asked skeptically. "What's my weakness then?"

I thought for a moment. "Me," I replied, smiling.

He seemed to think about it. "True. Very true. So, my weakness, I have another surprise for you tonight," Edward told me with a smile on his face.

"Again? Edward, you really don't have to do anything, you know…"

"I know. I want to do this," he said, a beautiful smirk still on his face.

"Edward Cullen, what have you got planned?" I asked, my eyes narrowing at him.

He put a slender finger to my lips. "No, no, no. Not one question," he smiled even bigger. I looked at the rest of the Cullen family. They were all grinning. Even Rosalie was smiling at us, except for hers was more evil than the rest of them. Oh no, they were _all_ in on it. I guessed that he had left me early this morning so that he could change his clothes _and_ talk to his family. I was confused. I mean, seriously, what else could he and the rest of them possibly want to do for me?

A/N: lol so there you go, the fifth chapter…hope you liked it I had such writer's block that I had to call up a friend of mine who's been following my story and ask what I should write for this chapter so yeah…you'd better like it lol j/k I hope you did though :crosses fingers:


	6. Meet Again

DISCLAIMER: oh wow people I seriously look like Stephenie meyer? No, I don't think so :shakes head: lol :cough: not mine :cough:

A/N: this story is coming along so well for me… :does happy dance: lol j/k im just so glad that all of you out there like it it makes me so ecstatic lol it's weird though becuz I've actually gotten more reviews on this story than I have for my first fanfiction and this one's been on here like only 2 weeks maybe more or less so yeah I just think it's a little strange…anyways, I hope you like this chapter! It's gonna go somewhere this time! ENJOY!

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He put a slender finger to my lips. "No, no, no. Not one question," he smiled even bigger. I looked at the rest of the Cullen family. They were all grinning. Even Rosalie was smiling at us, except for hers was more evil than the rest of them. Oh no, they were all in on it. I guessed that he had left me early this morning so that he could change his clothes and talk to his family. I was confused. I mean, seriously, what else could he and the rest of them possibly want to do for me?

Bella's POV:

After school, Edward drove me home, a smile on his face the entire time as he held my hand in his.

"What are you grinning at?" I asked suspiciously. He definitely had something up his sleeve that he wasn't going to let slip.

"Nothing," he answered innocently. Too innocently. My eyes narrowed at him. "You'll just have to wait and see, my dear," he said, still smiling. He pulled my hand up to kiss it gently.

I rolled my eyes. I just sat there in silence until I finally realized that we were going in the direction of his house instead of mine. "Hey!"

"What?" He gave me a confused look, the smile on his face suddenly disappearing.

"Why are you driving me to your house instead of mine?" I demanded.

He let out a sigh. "Just relax, Bella. Please just this once be cooperative, please, I beg of you."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Begging, huh? This must be something I really don't want to do, then," I assumed and looked out the window.

"I guess you'll find out soon enough," he said, grinning, as he pulled the Volvo into the long driveway. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car, the door of which Edward held open for me. "Go up to Alice and Jasper's room," he whispered into my ear as we stepped into the house. "Her and Rosalie will be up there in a few minutes," he told me, and put a hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the bottom of the stairs that I was to walk up. I glared at him for a second and then slowly walked up to Alice's room on the other floor. I decided to sit on Alice's bed until her and Rosalie came to meet me in the room. It was a few minutes—just like Edward had predicted—before they arrived. Alice screamed when she saw me, leaving me sitting on her bed, stunned at her enthusiasm as she ran to hug me. I stared past her at Rosalie. She was surprisingly smiling at me. I was left speechless. Alice finally let go of me.

"Alright, come with us! We need to get you ready!" she told me, grabbing my hand and leading me down the hall to the large bathroom. She made me sit down in a chair that was already placed in there. I let out a small grunt as I sat down because of the massive force she had put on my shoulders to get me to sit. I looked at Alice. She was frantically trying to locate something, opening and closing cupboard doors until she finally found what she was looking for. In the meantime, Rosalie was calmly getting out the curling iron and hair dryer, plugging each of them into an outlet. I was staring at each of them running around the bathroom until Rosalie took my head in her hands, lifting me up off the chair and stuck my head under the faucet of the bathtub.

"Hey, wha-" I tried to protest until Rosalie threatened to smack me if I didn't behave. It made me sound like a dog, if you ask me. After Rosalie was done shampooing and conditioning my hair, she grabbed the towel from off of the floor and dried it. Alice took a comb and one side of my hair while Rosalie did the same to the other side of my head, desperately trying to get out tangles and such from my hair, making me yelp in pain the entire time with their force. Couldn't they understand that I was extremely fragile compared to them? Apparently not.

"Ow!" I screamed for the hundredth time in a minute.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but this is for your own good. Trust me," Alice tried to calm me down, which wasn't working the best. I let out a deep breath, rolled my eyes, and crossed my arms over my chest. After they were done combing through my hair, Rosalie decided that she would blow-dry it, straighten it, and then of course, curl it. I have to admit, though, Rosalie did an excellent job on my hair, no matter how much it hurt. After she was done, Alice did my make-up. It was mostly nice, neutral tones, which I would have to thank her for later. "Rosalie, go get the dress," she told her, as she was finishing up the mascara. I got butterflies in the pit of my stomach at the word dress. This couldn't be good.

"Umm, Alice, are you finally going to tell me what's going on here?" I asked hopefully.

She groaned softly. "No," she said confidently, obviously not going to give up that easily.

"Fine," I said, crossing my arms again. Rosalie bounded back into the bathroom with a black strapless dress in her pale hands.

"Here," she said, smiling at me and handing the dress to Alice, and then left the room once again.

"Alright, Bella, put this on and then tell us when you're done so that we can come in, okay? Alright, I'll be right outside, trying to shield my mind from Edward." She paused. "Wish me luck!"

I smiled as I saw Alice leave me alone to myself, putting the dress on. "Umm, Alice? Can you help me, please?"

"Sure, what do you need?" she asked as she came into the room.

I pointed to my back. "The zipper," I stated simply and glumly. I could feel her zip up the dress swiftly and then she turned me to face myself in the mirror, putting her hands on each of my shoulders, standing behind me still. "Wow" was all I could say when I saw my reflection.

"I know!" Alice gushed. "You look beautiful, Bella. Here are your shoes," she told me, handing me some silver high heels. She leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Have fun tonight," and she was gone. I paused in the doorframe to inhale a deep breath before walking out the rest of the upstairs hallway before walking—slowly, I might add—down the flight of steps. When I made it to the bottom floor, I decided to take a seat on the sofa in the large, spacious room, looking around for a few minutes and humming a song to myself. "Oh, Be-lla" Alice called to me from the top of the stairs in a singsong voice. I turned around to see Alice, but then was suddenly attacked from behind by someone's cool hands, putting a blindfold over my eyes, making me only able to see a tiny glimpse of Edward. Tiny glimpses were not enough. The moments between my turning around and the blindfold being put on me left me no memory of what Edward looked like as of now.

"Hey! What're you doing?" I asked, frustrated.

"Really, Bella, just cooperate with me, if you don't mind," I heard Emmett's voice say to me, standing me up and walking me over somewhere. "Alright, now stay here and just wait," he ordered me and left my side. I heard shuffling feet next to me on the floor.

"You teased me," I accused Alice as I assumed she was there next to me, too.

"Yes, I did," she agreed proudly.

"So…why am I blindfolded?" I asked, confused.

"Because it's a surprise, remember?" Edward finally spoke up. "So, in other words, I'm not allowed to tell you." His voice hinted at a smile.

I wished I didn't have this blindfold on so that he could see the dirty glare I was giving him. Stupid blindfold.

Edward's cool hand grabbed my arm and gently yanked me outside. I stopped abruptly, just realizing something. "Wait, wait, wait," I said, and paused. "You aren't planning on running, are you?" I accused.

"Bella," he started, breathing into my face, making it impossible for me to even remember what I was worrying about in the first place, "don't be so concerning. You'll be fine." All I could do was nod my head, still in a bit of a daze. He must've been proud that he could do that to me because he started walking again. I was completely grateful when I heard him open the car door for me, putting me in the passenger's seat. We drove for a good amount of time until we finally stopped at our destination. Edward opened my door and placed me on his back.

"Oh no," I said, getting anxious. He chuckled.

"Bella, you're blindfolded, remember? You can't see anything, so there is no reason for you to feel like you'll be sick or anything like that. Relax."

Relax, I kept telling myself over and over in my mind. He started running at full speed to where he wanted us to be, and, I had to admit, it wasn't that bad when my eyes weren't open. When we stopped, I let go gently of my stranglehold on Edward's neck, trying desperately not to fall and either land on my but, which would in turn get my dress full of dirt, or else breaking a heel somehow. I was surprisingly successful. "Can I take this off-" but before I was even done asking, he had it off of me, leaving me blinking, trying to regain my focus, adjusting my eyes to the evening sky.

"Wow," I whispered, in awe. We were in the meadow again, but this time there was something more special about it. I looked over at Edward, who was smiling, a look of shock on my face. I shivered slightly. Alice and Rosalie must have forgotten that I was still fully human and that I would be cold.

I looked around. The whole clearing was filled with candles hanging from trees, and candles on the ground, too. There was a blanket in the middle, on the ground, along with a basket. I walked over to it, leaving Edward standing where we had come in. I smiled when I realized that the basket was filled to the top with food for me. I looked over to where Edward was standing but then saw that he wasn't there anymore. I jumped a little when Edward put his cool hands around my waist, sinking his face onto my shoulder. "Hello," he greeted me. "I wanted to do this last night but I wasn't quite sure if you would come or not. But now I knew that I could get you here because you would already be with my family and me." He swiftly turned me around to look at him. He was wearing a completely black outfit. Oh wow, did he look amazing. He was some sort of a dark angel tonight. I remembered saying how much I loved him in black, and now, here he was, wearing a color that he hated to wear, all for me.

He smiled at me and gestured toward the basket behind me. I didn't even realize that I was staring at him until he got me to snap out of my own little world when he turned me towards the food and gently pushed me down to sit. I started going through the basket, picking out random things. "You thought of everything, didn't you?" I asked as I took out a container with cake in it and an orange in the other hand.

He smiled. "Birthday cake," he stated matter-of-factly. He took the container from my hands, and then searched through the basket for something, bringing out candles and a lighter. He opened the container of cake, put the candles on it carefully, lit them, and handed it to me. I smiled and pulled me hair back with the other hand, leaned down, and looked at him before blowing out the candles. As I did so, I felt a flash on me. I looked up to see Edward holding a camera in his long fingers. He smiled weakly. "Memories," he told me and put the camera away. I smiled at him again. He talked the rest of time that I was eating the food there for me. I leaned back on the blanket, holding my stomach, when I was finally done, completely full.

"That was wonderful," I said and looked up into his eyes. He was right beside me, looking down at me, his arm propped up his head, his elbow on the ground, facing me. Edward looked at his watch and groaned softly.

"It's getting late. We should get going. I need to take you home." I grunted at his words. I really didn't want to leave this place; it was too great of a night. I kissed his lips softly. "Well maybe just a few more minutes then," he surrendered, and I smiled. That was exactly what I was going for. I looked up to the night sky, full of stars for once. I felt Edward freeze alongside me. I glanced at him. He was looking all around. "We have to go," he told me urgently, grabbing my hand and making both of us stand up.

"What is it?" I whispered, but he put a finger to my lips, trying to silence me. I was instantly quiet, but scared.

Before I knew it, someone was right next to us. It was Victoria. "Hello. I've been looking for you, Bella," she spat out of her mouth. A worried look came across my face. Edward still had me by the arm, but now Victoria was doing the same with the other. She was clutching it. She moved her hand to Edward's arm, letting mine go. She went and stood in front of Edward, but then moved to speak in his ear. I wasn't quite sure what she was whispering; I couldn't hear it. I looked frantically over at Edward. He looked like he was fighting something. But what? I couldn't be sure. I saw his eyes growing increasingly heavier by the second, closing them, but then he snapped them open. When she had seen his eyes drooping, she had let his arm go, letting it only linger there for the moment.

"Run," Edward whispered to me in my ear softly, hoping that Victoria wouldn't hear. Edward's hand that was on my arm still, pulled me with him, trying to get me to run, even in the heels I was wearing. We had only gotten about two steps when Victoria grabbed my other arm once again, pulling me back right next to her. I let out a small gasp at her force.

Her face was suddenly right next to my ear. "Obey every word I say," she whispered softly. I nodded, instantly in some sort of trance.

"I will," I said aloud.

Edward's POV: 

"Bella? Bella, listen to me, you cannot let her do this to you!" I screamed softly into her ear, hoping to somehow reach her, to get her out of the reverie that Victoria had put her in.

I looked into her eyes. They were clouded over, not the usual, gorgeous brown eyes I had become accustomed to.

"Bella, please don't do this to me! I just got you back," I added softly.

She was mumbling things out loud, saying things like "I will" and "Yes, he did hurt me."

I looked at her, frantically trying to find something to get her to snap out of it. I shook her, and when I lifted up her hand and let go of it, it just fell back down right away. I fell onto my knees, sobbing.

"Yes, I do want to be changed. He finally said he'll do it for me," she said next. "But I'm not sure if I trust him, though." I looked up at her. She didn't trust me? That was it, I was done with this. Angrier than ever before, I stood up, and kicked an unsuspecting Victoria away from Bella and into the tree behind her. As I did though, I looked over to Bella, who was growing weaker by the second. Her eyes were drooping like mine had only minutes ago. She was gasping for air, not finding any solace. My God, Victoria had made it so that she couldn't breathe for that whole time.

"Bella? Bella? Are you there? Bella, speak to me, damn it!" She was still gasping, her eyes still clouded. "Bella!" I screamed. I was holding her in my arms, but she didn't seem to know anything anymore. If I left her like this, she might end up literally going insane. I had to do something. She wasn't going to die, but I could tell that she would live the rest of her life in an asylum if she were left like this. I did the only thing I could do to get her out of her stupor that she was in. I leaned down to her exposed neck, still sobbing, and bit down.

A/N: here, I'll tell ya something…umm, yesterday, I started this chapter…the whole idea for it came from a dream. Yeah, so in my dream, I was typing this chapter and I woke up and im just like 'oh yeah, that'd be awesome for this chapter!' lol so yup there ya go, chapter 6 ….hope you liked!


	7. One of Us

DISCLAIMER: don't own it so don't sue

A/N: oh wow this is probably going to be the hardest chapter (well, hardest besides my other story, Graduation, Love, and Many Changes, their chapters, that is…BTW, for that story, I totally had to like plan everything out about that story so that I would know what I was writing in the certain chapters…yeah I know im a dork…I plan…lol…anyways…) that I'll ever have to write becuz it includes something desperately important :cough: transformation :cough: lol yup hope u enjoy!

BTW: I am soooo TERRIBLY sorry that it took me so dang long to update this, I kinda had a super hard time writing it…so sorry! Forgive me::pleads: lol j/k

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"_Bella? Bella? Are you there? Bella, speak to me, damn it!" She was still gasping, her eyes still clouded. "Bella!" I screamed. I was holding her in my arms, but she didn't seem to know anything anymore. If I left her like this, she might end up literally going insane. I had to do something. She wasn't going to die, but I could tell that she would live the rest of her life in an asylum if she were left like this. I did the only thing I could do to get her out of her stupor that she was in. I leaned down to her exposed neck, still sobbing, and bit down. _

Edward's POV:

The moment my teeth sank into Bella's ivory-toned flesh, I felt as though I were in my own personal heaven. There were two parts of my subconscious that were debating, turning my brain in two.

My monster self kept telling me to "drink more." "Don't stop," it tried to convince me.

"No!" the better half screamed. "Stop! You _must stop_! If you don't you'll _kill her_! What's more important to you-Bella's blood or your love for her, including your sanity?"

The tow parts of me continued to argue, coming to no concurrence.

I tried to remind myself of what I was doing and _why_ I was doing it. I had a purpose; I needed to remember that. _I don't want to be a monster. I don't want to be a monster,_ I chanted the words to myself; words that I had told Bella so long ago.

I finally found the strength to pull away after a moment that seemed to last forever. It was so hard to stop. But I had to. Killing Bella would be worse than if she were to live the rest of her life as a mute, just living and not being able to comprehend.

I had slowly sunk down to the ground while injecting the venom. I jerked away from Bella's body, which took all the strength I had inside of me, leaving me on the ground beside her, sobbing still, my head in my hands.

Just then, I heard her suddenly yelp in pain. It was beginning. She was back; my Bella was back. I quickly moved closer to her side, trying to console her. "Oh, Bella you're awake," I said, holding her against me. "Thank you," I whispered to the sky. "Are you alright?" I asked, letting go of her slightly to look her in the face. "Can you understand me?" I inquired even softer this time.

I could see her eyes searching for something, but of what I couldn't be sure. "Edward? What's happening?" I could sense the fear in her eyes. I pulled her closer to me, in a hug, closing my eyes.

"Oh, Bella, it was awful. I almost lost you. You weren't going to die, but if I left you like that then it would have been even worse than dying…." I paused and leaned away reluctantly, staring her in the eyes. "What do you remember?"

She frantically tried to recall the events that had taken place only minutes before. "V-victoria," she finally got out. I sighed. At least she remembered _some_ of it.

"Yes. Victoria," I repeated, my voice full of hate and disgust. I quickly changed the subject. "Well, don't worry now, Bella, everything's going to be fine. I'm here." I went over to her side so that I could hold her in an embrace. She pulled away from me after a minute.

"Edward? Why do I suddenly feel like I'm burning all over?" She paused as realization came over her. "You…you…changed me…?"

I looked down at the ground then back up at Bella. "Yes," I stated softly. "It was the only thing that I could do to help you. I'm sorry, Bella," I apologized, my voice even softer this time, hanging my head. "I'm so selfish," I said softly. I put my hand on her cheek, hoping to ease the pain for a moment.

Bella smiled the best she could in her state, eyes closed and breathing erratically at the touch of my hand. "It's…okay, Edwa-" she didn't even get my whole name out before screaming in agony once again, arching her back. I moved to lie down next to her, placing my hand in hers, showing that she could squeeze it if she needed something to hold on to, which she did just then.

"Bella, you're alright, you're alright," I tried to soothe her, brushing the hair back from her face with my free hand.

After she was done screaming for an immeasurable time, gasping for air all the while, Bella finally found enough comfort for the time being to close her eyes, passing out from the immense pain she was in. Although, I could still see that she was struggling with her changes the whole time. I couldn't believe that I could put such a beautiful creature in this amount of hurt when I loved her so much. And I hated myself for it. Tears were cascading down her face, but still, I had never seen her more gorgeous.

Bella's POV:

When I opened my eyes, I found myself no longer in pain. I was still lying on the cool, November grass, but it didn't seem so terribly cold to me anymore.

_Oh my God,_ I thought as I sat straight up. _I'm a va-vampire._ I looked over at Edward, who was staring at me with a disbelieving look on his face. What was it? Why was he _staring_ at me like that? I finally got up enough words to ask.

"What is it?" I asked gently and put a hand on his shoulder, my voice full of concern.

He continued to stare at me, shock still on his face, and then finally answered my question, shaking out the look on his face. "I-I can…read your mind…" he said, narrowing his eyes, most likely trying to figure out why.

My eyebrows instinctively rose, my eyes growing wide in the same astonishment that Edward was in. "You-you can…" my throat wouldn't even let me get out one whole sentence. It just came out in stutters. I felt like I was hyperventilating.

I calmed my breathing before attempting to ask again. "You…know what I'm thinking…?"

"Yes," he whispered his answer, the shock still there on his perfectly sculptured face.

I gulped. "Right now?" I asked, and tried to think of something totally and completely random so that I could be for certain. _Puppies. Puppies are cute. They're soft. They're furry. They're cuddly. They're filled with blood…_ There was a faint mumbling filling my ears as my breathing became erratic at the thought of blood. It must have been Edward, trying to make me snap out of my reverie. Finally, I came back down to earth, along with reality. That was when I realized that this _was_ my reality. I calmed my breathing once again before I looked at Edward and did my best attempt at a smile, which probably ended up looking like a grimace instead. "Sorry," I apologized and tried a smile again, which this time I succeeded in doing so. I smirked even bigger and asked, "So what was I thinking? Hmm? What was it, Mr. Mind Reader?" I tried to joke with him, but Edward didn't seem to be taking it that way. He was hanging his head in shame and guilt instead. I stopped smiling when he answered.

He was looking down at the ground when he spoke. "Puppies…." his voice trailed off. I moved over closer to his side to try and comfort him, to let him know that I didn't hate him for what he did. I put my arms around him in a hug and nuzzled my head in his neck.

I pulled back to look him straight in the eyes. "Edward, I know you think that it was a horrible decision, but, trust me, I understand why you did it. You didn't want to lose me. I get it. Please know that I love you and am far, _far_ from hating you. I could never in a million years come close to hating you. And, if I had been in your place, I would have done the exact same thing."

"I still shouldn't have done it. But it seems that I am too selfish for my own good, huh?" He finally gave the slightest hint of a smile. I smiled along with him. And there we were, two lovers, sharing a blissful moment, just the two of us.

We were interrupted suddenly, though. By that vile Victoria. We must have been too busy ogling at each other to notice that she approached us at first, because she just came up right next to us and did what she had attempted to do the first time, three days ago. This time, though, when she went next to Edward, she actually succeeded. She must have finally woken up from the blow that she took when she collided with the tree that Edward had thrown her in. He fell under her trap fully this time, passing out and leaving me sitting there, terrified. After she was done with my angel, Victoria turned to me. She looked extremely infuriated, to say the least. I was so scared that I couldn't even move a centimeter. That is, until she jerked me up towards her. She tried again to do the same to me as she had only days ago and now to my beautiful Edward.

_Please, no, not again…not again…. Stop…stop...STOP!_ I kept thinking as Victoria whispered "sleep" into my ear once again. I felt my eyes slowly starting to droop and my body growing weaker by the millisecond, and I decided that I wasn't going to take it any longer. I needed to do something, and quick. I tried desperately to stop her from using her powers on me. And, to my complete and utter shock, it…_worked._ She took a step back a moment later and stared at me, a look of complete shock and question on her face. She glared at me then, obviously even more peeved than she had been in the first place. I felt even weaker than I had when she had been trying to use her powers on me just seconds before. Something had gone wrong with me in the past few seconds and I felt as though I weren't anywhere near strong anymore.

Victoria smirked smugly at me as she let me fall to the ground as she sauntered away. "I guess I underestimated you and your perfect little _Edward _there," she mused, snarling my angel's name. I was panting, lying on the ground with my arms on the ground, for support to hold up my body, desperately trying to regain my strength before this fight that was seemingly inevitable began. Victoria just wanted revenge. Revenge on us for destroying James. She kept saying other things but I didn't listen to them.

Taking in a deep breath, I stood up, still recovering from whatever it was that had brought me down. I couldn't understand why I had become suddenly so feeble. It just didn't make any sense to me.

I sauntered over to Victoria when her back was turned, ready to attack her.

Edward's POV:

I opened my eyes, still on the ground, to see Bella behind Victoria, looking as though she were going to try to injure her in some way. Bella wasn't appearing as strong as I thought she would to be. I wondered why that was, racking my brain for some reason for it to happen. As soon as she hit Victoria hard on the back, sending her into the same tree as I had thrown her in only days ago, I was completely alert. What was she _doing_? Was she _trying_ to make her even more infuriated? But, as I thought about it more, I realized that maybe this was Bella's way of letting Victoria know that she was taking a stand against her; letting her know that she wasn't going down without a fight. In truth, though, one of the two here would definitely die in the end; and I certainly wasn't strong enough for it to be Bella.

In the seconds that it took Victoria to rise from the ground, I ran over to Bella, prepared to help her. I pulled out a tiny package of matches from my pocket that I usually carried with me just in case I should ever need them. I slyly handed them over to Bella. She accepted them before she even knew what they were; when she realized they were matches, she raised her eyes to mine, hers frightened and mine reassuring. "You can do it," I encouraged her. "I'll be with you the whole time. There is no reason to doubt yourself. Neither is there any reason to be scared. Trust me…?"

Bella nodded her head slowly and gazed back at a still-recovering-from-the-blow Victoria. I took a deep breath, as I was about to say something that I really didn't want Bella to ever hear come from my mouth. "We need to destroy her, Bella," I said in a dark and low tone.

I watched as Bella and Victoria each tried to tear each other apart. I decided, as Bella kept growing weaker as she fought Victoria, that now might be the time to help her. But I couldn't move. It was as if I had been frozen right in place. So, there I stood, watching the love of my life trying to destroy someone. It was a terrible sight to see, someone as beautiful as Bella (who was somehow more gorgeous than she had been the first time I'd seen her) getting rid of another one of our creatures, no matter how horrible the other may be.

Finally, after a time, Bella actually succeeded. She had defeated Victoria. It was amazing and frightening all at the same time. I could see the flames on the ground, setting Victoria's remains on fire. I saw that Bella was panting, bent over with her hands grasping her hands. Why? She shouldn't be this feeble, even _after_ a fight. I had never heard of anyone becoming so weak after something of this sort. Just as Bella stood up and was about to faint, I sprinted to her side, catching her against my arm. I pulled her up, cradling her in my arms, against my chest. What was happening? Eternity shouldn't be this painful for someone so precious. Invisible tears started to stream down my face. I wish I could be human again, just so that I would be able to let real tears cascade down my cheeks; so that I could let them all out, all the ones that have been pent up inside of me for years. I might feel much better if I could actually let them all out.

I looked down at my Bella, who was gazing up at me. She was going in and out of consciousness, it seemed, and breathing rather hard. My lips were trembling, and I realized that I was still sobbing. Bella slowly put a hand up to my face and cupped it in her hand, smiling weakly. "Angels…shouldn't cry," she told me before I saw her eyes close and not open again.

I started running to my house then, holding Bella in my arms all the while.

As I reached the house, I bounded in the door, gently laid Bella on the couch, and ran to locate my father figure so that I could bring him back to Bella. Luckily, today Carlisle was actually home. I followed his thoughts in order to find him. I finally retrieved him from his office, dragging him down the spiral staircase. _Edward, what on earth are you doing?_ his thoughts questioned me. I finally spoke, starting to explain myself. Carlisle listened intently.

"It's Bella. On Friday, when I took her to the meadow again, we were about to leave, but instead, we ran into Victoria. She tried to use her powers on us, which I refused, but Bella couldn't fight her off. So, I used my strength to throw her away, knocking her out for the time being. Bella was in some sort of a trance, which looked like might perhaps take over her, so…I changed her…" I finally allowed myself to take a deep breath. Carlisle placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. "And then today, when her transformation was complete, I found that I could read her mind." I looked up to Carlisle, whose eyes had widened in shock. I continued. "Well…we must have been too wrapped up in that fact that we didn't even see that Victoria had finally woken up. She came over to me, whispered things in my ear, and made me sleep. She took me by such surprise that I couldn't fight her off. Now, I'm not quite positive what exactly happened while I was out, but, when I awoke, Bella was standing behind Victoria, ready to attack her, but looking very weak. And I don't know why she would be weak. Bella threw her into the same tree as I had thrown her in and, while Victoria was recovering, I went over to Bella's side, talked to her, and told her to destroy Victoria and that I would help her. But once Bella got started, though, I froze in place, just watching her hitting Victoria and tearing her apart. Bella was getting even more feeble as she did it, though, and after she defeated Victoria, she was almost defeated also. So, when I got to her, she just fell into my arms and basically passed out. I don't know what happened to her, Carlisle." I paused. "Do you by chance know anything about diminishing strength in our kind?"

Carlisle seemed to be speechless, taking in everything that happened. He finally spoke. "I don't." He strode over to Bella's side, and pushed her hair away from her face so that he could feel her forehead. She looked even paler than me; or Carlisle under his hand. He was suddenly aware of the fact that she didn't have the warmth in her anymore that we've all become so accustomed to. He then composed himself, remembering the fact that she was one of us now. "But…there _is_ something that you could try after she wakes up…"

I cut him off. "She'll wake up?" I asked eagerly.

"Yes; she will. Wait for that to happen and then take her hunting. That may be able to help her regain her strength." He left then, with Bella and me alone in the room together.

A/N: So whaddya think? Good? Bad? In between? Well, it took me a long time to write this so you'd _better_ like it… :shakes fist: haha j/k lol but anyways, I really hope you liked it cuz it took _forever_ to write and I had to have both of my Twilight friends help me with it a bit – well, more like a _lot_ actually…and I did like a whole darn load of revising on it, too..the first part was super hard for me to write (and btw/fyi, I'm writing this on Saturday afternoon) and like on Wednesday thru today, it totally came a LOT easier so that's good…I just have sudden bUrSTs of imagination (which I love :smiles hugely: ) and then it's easier to write but anywho, I won't keep ya here any longer…hope you enjoyed!

p.s. I should have the eighth chapter up shortly, sometime tonight, since I already have it written out …glad you like this story! It makes me happy! I LOVE YOU!


	8. Look Please!

SORRY but this is NOT an update, just an AUTHOR'S NOTE….very truly sorry, but I will have it up as soon as I can I just need some help from you out there…..

Does anyone know if there are cheetahs in Washington? Because I was wondering and, well, it's a hunting scene that im writing right now (not to spoil the 8th chapter or anything for ya) and I need to find bella's favorite animal

So if anyone wants to let me know if there actually _are_ cheetahs or if you have any other suggestions for animals, then that'd be great…leave a review or else message me, either one works for me! Thanks a bunches!

trinatwilight11


	9. Powers

DISCLAIMER: hahaha…yeah right like _I_ could _ever_ write something as amazing as _Twilight_…hahaha

A/N: I'm ba-aaack…hehehe (think the poltergeist there lol…which I also don't own lol j/k) anyways, it's still Saturday right now…that's right, that means that I'm awesome becuz I just finished the seventh chapter a little bit ago and now im writing the eighth chapter…yay! go me! Lol…yup, im a dork, no need to let me know lol but anywho, I hope you like chapter 8…I LOVE MY REVIEWERS! You guys make me happy…and glad – don't get mad, get glad!….hahaha lol that was totally random…I speak random as a 2nd language…ooh what now? hehehe anyways, on with the story, shall we?

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_I cut him off. "She'll wake up?" I asked eagerly._

"_Yes; she will. Wait for that to happen and then take her hunting. That may be able to help her regain her strength." He left then, with Bella and me alone in the room together._

Bella's POV:

My eyes fluttered open to see my personal Greek god of Adonis sitting on the floor next to the couch that I was sprawled on. "Edward," my weak voice got out before I gave a just-as-weak smile. He was looking off into the distance, at nothing in particular, and now jerked his head to look at me.

"Oh Bella." There was agony in his musical voice as he pulled me in an embrace with him. He paused to look at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Not as strong as I think I should feel…?" It came out as more of a question than a statement.

He changed the subject. "Bella, what happened while I was out? Before Victoria used her power on me, you were perfectly fine. But when I woke up…you were…_weak_. That shouldn't happen."

I thought about the incident with Victoria for a moment. After she made Edward pass out, she tried on me. But she couldn't. Why couldn't she do it to me? I tried to remember what I was thinking at that particular moment. _Please, no, not again…not again…. Stop…stop...STOP! _The memories of my thoughts flooded back into my mind. Then I remembered. I had tried desperately to stop her from using her powers on me. That was why it didn't work. I had tried so hard to stop her that she didn't succeed.

"Wow," I finally said, this time out loud.

"Bella, you…. Carlisle? Esme? Will everyone come out here, please?" Edward's voice sounded throughout the house. They emerged one by one.

"Yes?" Carlisle spoke on behalf of the Cullen family.

"You _have_ to hear this; it's nothing short of amazing," Edward told them, disbelief coloring his tone. They all waited patiently for either Edward or me to speak.

"Explain that aloud now, Bella," Edward told me. I assumed that either he or Carlisle had told Edward's side of the events that had taken place, along with the part that included finally being able to read my mind.

As I did as Edward instructed, I paced about the room, explaining what I had only minutes before said to Edward in my mind. I looked up to see seven pairs of eyes staring at me. I swiftly walked over to the couch next to Edward, surprised when I didn't trip or fall once.

"Bella…" Carlisle was the first to speak up, "I think that I may know what your gift is." He paused before saying the next part. "What I'm thinking is that you can prevent other vampires from using their own powers." I saw all of the Cullens (other than Edward, of course) turn to take a look at me, then Carlisle, and then back to me. I stirred uncomfortably in my seat.

"A-anyone?" I choked out, cautiously.

"Er, I'm not sure. It's really just a theory. But we can try it later. Right now you need to regain your strength. And the only way to do that is to hunt." I began to get butterflies in my stomach. Hunt? Oh no. This wasn't going to go over well with Edward, was it? I mean, he had said that he didn't want me to see _him_ hunt…what would he say when he found out that _I_ needed to do the exact thing that he had prevented me from watching _him_ do?

"Don't worry, my dear, I am fully aware of what I'm being forced into seeing you do." He sighed. "But, I would have to do it sooner or later, right? And, apparently, sooner is better in this case."

I nodded my head slowly.

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As Edward and I stepped out of the house five minutes later (after talking with the rest of the Cullens), he looked at me with a sly grin on his perfectly formed face. I stopped abruptly.

"What's with you?" I asked cautiously.

He seemed to think about something for a moment. "Would you like to drive, my love?" The smirk was still there.

I gulped. He knew something, I could tell by that look he had. "Why?" I asked slowly, narrowing my eyes. "You almost _never_ let me drive… What do you know that I don't?" My voice was still wary.

"Nothing…" he replied, trying to make his voice sound all sweet-and-innocent-like.

I was still glowering at him. I decided to give up on arguing with him and trying to figure out what was in that mind of his. "Fine," I surrendered, sighing. Edward suddenly threw me the keys and, to my complete surprise, I caught them with almost no effort. I saw him smile at my shock of my newly acquired vampire reflexes.

It felt strange to be in the driver's seat of Edward's Volvo. I had spent an entire year in just the passenger's side of the car and now I was actually being allowed to drive it. Taking a deep breath, I started the engine with its soft purr, and pulled out of the long driveway. I didn't even realize how extremely fast I was actually going until I looked at the speedometer, which read 140; the trees whizzing by didn't even faze me in the least until I looked at the speedometer.

I was totally speechless as my head turned to look at Edward; he was smiling again. Smugly. My eyes were full of fear of myself. Flustered, I turned my eyes back to the road.

"You know, you may want to let me know where we're headed to, unless you want to end up in the middle of nowhere," I told him. My voice was full of anger now. He had tricked me into this!

"Just keep going straight until I tell you to turn," he instructed and I did as I was told.

"Fine."

He must have noticed the irritation in my voice. Either that or what I was thinking. "Are you angry with me, Bella?" he asked softly, making his voice smooth like velvet.

"Possibly." I paused. "How did you know?"

"That you would become a fast driver?" I nodded my head. "Well, new ones usually are. That…and Alice had a vision."

I finally cracked a smile, lightening up just a little. "She always does," I concurred. "Sorry," I apologized, looking over at Edward. "I'm new to this. It's…different. I feel sort of like I'm a little moodier. I completely understand your mood swings now."

"Excuse me?" Edward sounded a little appalled. "Mood swings? No. _Girls _have mood swings; not me."

_You're kidding me, right? Of course you have mood swings. You've said it yourself before and don't deny it._ I thought this, remembering that he could finally read my mind.

He looked back at the road, crossing his arms, actually surrendering to me. I smiled in my defeat. "Turn right at the next stop sign," he told me glumly after a few minutes. I did as I was told.

When we arrived at our destination—with Edward pouting the whole way because I was completely right—we stepped out of the car and I walked over to him, arms folded over my chest.

"Oh, come on, Edward. You aren't going to be a bad sport this whole time, now, are you?" I asked smugly.

His black eyes glared at my red ones. He sighed, trying to calm himself, taking long, deep breaths. "Fine," he gave a small grin. "Follow me," he said, and tilted his head to the side, indicating which way we were headed, and smiled again, taking my hand in his. Edward patted his back, as to say _get on_.

"Edward!" I chided. "I am perfectly capable of running on my own, you know. You aren't the only runner here anymore," I reminded him, crossing my arms once again. Edward turned back to look at me. He seemed to contemplate it for a moment.

"Fine. You see that tree up there straight ahead that's not surrounded by anything? It's completely alone?" he asked, pointing up ahead. I nodded, growing impatient but still smiling a little. "I'll race you!" and with that, he dropped my hand and took off running.

I was completely revolted but started running, trying desperately to catch up with him. As I was running at my fullest speed, I remembered a word that Edward had used to describe the experience: exhilarating. And it was. Totally and completely _exhilarating_. My eyes had been closed as I took in the experience and when I opened them, I couldn't see Edward anywhere. I looked to my left and ahead, so then I decided to look back. He was fifty feet behind me! _Wow,_ was all I could think. But then I thought about it some more. _All right, so, either I'm faster than Edward or he's just letting me win. _I looked back ahead and continued to run the last forty feet to the tree Edward had pointed out, putting my hand on it when I reached it first, and smiled as I watched him catch up to me.

"I wasn't just letting you win," Edward said when he finally reached the tree and me.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "You…weren't?" Shock was filling my voice, but internally I was jumping up and down and screaming for joy as I realized that I was faster than Edward. Actually, when I thought about it, if Edward was the fastest of all of the Cullens, and I was now faster than Edward, then that would make me the fastest of them _all_.

Suddenly Edward groaned. I looked at him quizzically. "What?" I asked, really curious now. His gaze met mine and he simply tapped his head. "Oh. Sorry, not _my_ fault that you can now read my mind and that I can beat you at running."

He glared at me for the second time in less than ten minutes. "Yeah, well, just don't go getting a big head about it," he told me and instantly lightened up. "Come on, Speedy," he said, grabbing my hand in his and intertwining our fingers, kissing my forehead, and chuckling. I joined in on his laughter and we started walking until I stopped abruptly as a breeze blew and a million scents all at once filled the air and my senses came alive. I felt Edward stop with me at exactly the same moment. He must have had the same thing happen to him.

I looked up in Edward's black eyes as they bored into mine. I turned my gaze back to the forest that we were in and my eyes searched all around. I suddenly saw a cougar sprint through the forest and when I looked to my left, Edward was gone, probably off to find something else. Instinctively, I took off running at my fastest speed, catching up to it quickly. When I reached it, I slowed a bit so that I could pounce on it, sinking my teeth into it when I did, taking in all of its blood.

Five minutes and two cougars later, my thirst was finally satiated. I stood up and turned my head around and started walking, trying to find Edward. "Edward!" my voice echoed throughout the forest. He emerged from a thicket of trees, wiping blood off his mouth as he walked. Even as I saw him do that, in his true, vampire form, he still looked beautiful, a god. I sauntered over to him, as he was smiling, a glint of mischief in my eyes. As I reached him, I leaped onto him, sending us both to the hard ground and a loud _thump_ through the forest. I started laughing and when Edward's initial shock wore off, he joined me.

It was hours later now, after our laughter had died down, we lay on the ground still, staring up at the star-filled sky, our hands entangled, both of us silent.

"Thank you," I said, breaking the silence, then looked over to see his face perplexed.

"For what?"

I looked back up at the sky. "For changing me," I said and paused. "I love knowing that I'll live forever with you. It's a wonderful feeling. Thank you," I repeated then looked back at Edward.

"You're welcome." He kissed my forehead and made a trail of kisses from there down to meet my lips. "I love you, Bella," he confessed softly.

I responded by once again meeting his lips intensely. When we finally pulled apart—after what seemed like an hour later—I found that I was on top of him, his arms still around my waist, as they had been all afternoon and night. "I love you, too," I finally said, smiling hugely and started kissing him again until, after a long time, we decided that we should probably head home, as it was nearing dawn.

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A/N: YAY! I'M FINALLY DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER! WOO HOO! Lol, anyways, I hope you liked it, I had originally thought of just making this a transition chapter, between her passing out and going hunting and then, im just like, 'well, no, I think ill make them go hunting in this chapter, instead of next chapter…' and so yeah, that's how it ended up going and yeah, I really hope you liked it though…I love how many reviews ive gotten on this story…I think I really should get the next chapter of my other story done soon, too… next up on chapter nine: the test! Muahahahahahahaha I know what goes on and you don't yet….hehehe :evil laugh: yeah I know, you all think im crazy, but, oh well, that's okay! Im completely fine with being crazy, because I already know that I am…lol, im totally rambling here, but, that's just too bad for you…no not really, no….ill let you go off alone now, buh bye!

trinatwilight11

P.S. IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY OTHER STORY, GRADUATION, LOVE, AND MANY CHANGES, THEN I WOULD BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL….THANKS! I LOVE YOU ALL! YEAH, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I SHOULD WRITE FOR THAT CHAPTER, SO PLEASE HELP! THANKS, AGAIN! Sorry, for the caps, I just really wanted people to read this thing, lol, yeah…


	10. Read Please

I'm so sorry, this is actually an author's note….

Ya see, ill be gone from Thursday the third until Monday the seventh

Im going camping and I wont have a laptop or computer or anything so I wont be able to update until then

Be I promise, promise, PROMISE to update as soon as I get back and hopefully it will have been worth the wait…lol anyways Im going to be writing while im away and maybe I can get the chapter after it done, too…but, anyways, sorry that this wasn't an update…forgive me::sobs uncontrollably: lol j/k

trinatwilight11


	11. Aftermath

DISCLAIMER: _Twilight _is absolutely aMaZInG…in other words: don't own it… :is sad: yeah, like I could ever write that…hahaha! You're crazy, man! Lol

A/N: YAY! I love how you all love my story! It makes me happy! Lol… anyways, I super duper hope that you all like this chapter and sorry that it's taken me so long to update it, I was hoping that it wouldn't take this long, but, unfortunately, it did and I hate that…dang…anywho, here ya go! Enjoy!

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Bella's POV:

"You know, I've found that _your_ driving actually scares _me_, so I think I'm going to drive if that's alright with you," Edward announced as we reached his Volvo. I had the keys in my hand and was now set on keeping them clenched there in a vice grip. He tried prying them from my hand, but I just shook my head and suppressed a grin, but it somehow came out in the end. "Bella… Give. Them. Here," he said, holding out his hand. I shook my head again.

"No. Way."

And with that, Edward completely caught me off guard by pushing me against the silver car—hard, but it didn't hurt in the least—and forcing a kiss on my lips. And an intense one, at that. He stopped all of a sudden, leaving me breathing hard, and he walked over to the driver's side, keys in hand. I must have completely lost any grip on anything, or how else would he have gotten them from my hands?

I narrowed my eyes at Edward, who was starting to take his place in the driver's seat. "You are pure evil," I muttered as I sat down in the passenger's side of the Volvo. Edward chuckled and I just folded my arms over my chest. Two minutes later, as he was driving, I couldn't stand it anymore. "You drive too slow!" I complained. He was only going 115.

He took a double look at me, which was full of disbelief. "You're joking, right?" My head snapped over to look at Edward, who had taken his eyes off the road to stare at me, and then he shook his head slowly. "So, when you were human, you thought I drove too fast and it frightened you, and now that you're one of us, you can't stand my driving because it's too slow for you, is that it?" I nodded. "Yikes. My driving is never going to completely please you, is it?"

I shook my head. "Nope," I said, and then broke out grinning hugely.

Minutes later, we were back at the Cullen house. "I could've driven a lot faster than _that_, you know," I mumbled as we stepped out of the car, rolling my eyes.

"_Your_ driving is insane," Edward replied matter-of-factly as he reached me. I nodded my head as I smiled. "But it's just one more thing that I can love about you." He took my hands in both of his, letting me fall back against the car once again and starting to kiss me, hoping to leave me breathless once again. But this time I simply did the opposite. I kissed _him_ hard and passionately for what seemed like hours but was only minutes, flipping him over so that _he_ was the one on pressed up on the car.

But, eventually, we were interrupted by a squeaky voice. "Bella! Edward! You're home!" It was Alice, I could tell.

"Alice," Edward grumbled into my hair after he finally found his voice. "Can't you see that we're a bit _busy_ here?" he whined, his arms still snaked around my waist and went back to pressing his lips to mine.

"Well, maybe Bella would rather do that in the house…" she retorted. Edward pulled back to look at me for an answer. All I could do was just smile like an idiot. It was nice not having to hold back anymore. With a moan—saying he didn't really want to--Edward picked me up bridal style and carried me into the house, with me still smiling all the while, and sat me down on the couch. He joined me where I was and started kissing me again, his hands traveling all around my waist. Edward deepened the kiss as he pushed me down onto the couch.

Just then, we heard a male voice clear his throat behind us as he came into the room: Carlisle, with Esme and the rest of the family trailing behind him. I heard Alice giggle as we struggled to compose ourselves, but gave up on trying when Edward just sat me on his lap, an arm still around my waist. "Bella," Carlisle greeted me, "now that you two are home, I think we should test out your new powers."

I nodded silently. "What should I do, then?" _What does he want me to do? How am _I _supposed to stop someone from using their own powers? Geez, this is confusing,_ I thought to myself.

Edward chuckled underneath me. "Bella, you _are_ the one who stopped Victoria before. Just do the same thing." This was going to get annoying, the whole Edward-being-able-to-read-my-mind thing.

_You aren't _supposed_ to be able to know what I'm thinking, Edward. It's just not natural._

He laughed again. "Who said being a vampire was natural?" he asked.

I sat back against his chest, folding my arms, fuming with anger. Yup, definitely annoying.

"Bella?" Carlisle called my name, wondering why I was mad.

I smiled weakly. "Sorry." I paused. "Who do you want me to try it on?" I asked, as I rose from my place on Edward's lap.

"Er," he looked around the room at the rest of the Cullens, "how about Jasper? If that's alright with you, Jasper," he asked for his permission, turning to him. Jasper simply nodded. "Okay, then, Jasper, you try to make everyone in the room calm and at the same time, Bella, I want you to try to stop him from doing so. All right? Go ahead."

I took that as my cue to attempt it. I inhaled a deep breath, closed my eyes, and concentrated very hard on preventing Jasper from making the rest of us calm. _Stop. Don't do it. _I opened my eyes, still not breaking my concentration, and looked around the room. "Did it work?" I asked uncertainly as I felt my body grow feeble.

Carlisle walked over to me and put his hands on both of my shoulders, staring at me intently. "Yes…and still it's hard for me to believe it."

"So…no one feels calm or anything, then?" I asked, looking around the room.

"Well, no. Alice over there is squealing with joy. Bella, you do know that this means you are one of the most powerful of our kind, don't you?" His eyes seemed to be searching mine.

"I am? How so?" I asked confusedly, and I started to breathe unevenly.

"Well, think about it, Bella. If anyone tried to use their own gifts on you to make you do or feel something and you happened to be in a fight, then you could use your gift to your advantage. You would be disarming them."

"Is there anything else to it? What I mean is, if I can stop them from using their gifts, does that also mean that I could _borrow_ their gifts?"

"Well, I'm not sure," he responded and paused. "Why don't you try? Concentrate very hard and try to read…Emmett's mind." I noticed then that everyone else had been silent throughout our whole discussion.

"Hey, wait a second, why does she have to use _my_ gift?" Edward blurted out. I looked back at him for a moment before smiling at how childish and adorable his outburst was. I went over and kissed his forehead, as he had done so many times to me.

"It'll be fine," I soothed. "I doubt it will even work, so there's no reason to worry," I said glumly and sat, once again, on his lap, my feet hanging over the arm of the couch, my back supported by Edward's arm. I took my hand to his arm and let it go so that I could fall back, just lying on his legs, and closed my eyes, instantly comfortable. "Alright, Emmett, think something," I ordered him, but my voice was soft.

_That's so cool that she can stop others' powers. I wonder if she can stop Edward now that he can finally read her mind… _

"I know, it's awesome, isn't it?" I answered his unspoken comment, smiling ear to ear, and opened my eyes. Then I realized…I had actually read someone's mind! Wow! This must be what it felt like for Edward if he ever replied to someone's silent remark and they didn't know that he could do that. I sat up abruptly to look around at all of the Cullens. They were all staring at me, speechless, even Edward. I, too, must have looked shocked.

I knew what all of them were thinking. Each and every one of them. Some were more pessimistic than others—namely, Rosalie.

Oh, sure, I was jealous of her before because she was human and now that she's a vampire I'm even more because she can do cool things with her powers. That's just great, another thing for me to hate about her.

I glared internally at Rosalie and moved on. _Hmm…maybe I could get her to stop hating me if I used my first power on her…maybe that'd work…_. I tried to make a plan for the next time I saw her.

I turned to Edward as he interrupted my thoughts. _Don't try it. She may end up getting even angrier with you and that would just be horrible for her to have even more reason to hate you for all eternity. _He rolled his eyes, making me smile at how cute he was when he did that.

The rest of the Cullens' thoughts were much more optimistic than Rosalie's…_much_ more.

_Oh, wow! This is so cool! I love, love, LOVE that she's one of us now! Oh my gosh, I _need_ to take her shopping with me soon! Well, that is if Edward will ever let go of her…stupid, possessive brother,_ Alice silently cursed Edward. Edward and I exchanged looks and laughed.

_Don't worry, I'll never let you go. I know how much you hate it when we buy you things. But, _he paused in his thoughts, _maybe I'll just have to take you alone, just the two of us, _he started forming a plan. My face was filled with a look of horror. Edward chuckled. _I'm only kidding._

I glared at him and went back to the Cullens' thoughts.

Carlisle's thoughts were along the lines of, _So now we can actually have _two_ mind readers in the household. This shall be interesting._ He kept smiling at me as he thought it. Esme was standing beside him, thinking practically the same thing.

_You know,_ Jasper was thinking,_ I'm a little peeved that she can stop our gifts, but it's sort of cool that she can use them, too. Carlisle's right; she really _is_ powerful. _His thoughts were stunned.

I smiled a little and looked over to Edward, who was under my legs. I was still on his lap. By this time, I was about to pass out—again.

Edward's POV:

Oh my God. She looks like she's about to die, even though that's impossible for us. What's _wrong_ with her?

"Bella? Bella? Are you all right?" And with that, she slumped back, passing out. I held out my hand to catch her head in it so that she wouldn't get hurt or anything by the impact of her head colliding with my leg. I looked over to the rest of my family, who all had looks of concern on their faces, as they sauntered over to mine and Bella's place on the living room couch.

"Carlisle, what happened!" I practically screamed at him. "Why does this keep happening? What the hell is the matter with her? Something is _wrong_."

Carlisle was staring intently at Bella. "Yes, something is wrong. This shouldn't be happening," he stated incredulously. "No one should get this worn out. We'll have to talk to Bella when she awakens."

How could he be this calm about what was happening! Wasn't he concerned, not even in the very least?

I tried to calm myself down, but it didn't work. But a moment later, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I looked over to Jasper and gave him a look of gratefulness, and then rested my head against the back of the couch, waiting for Bella to wake up, closing my eyes. The rest of the family had left me alone with Bella.

Twenty minutes later, I felt Bella stirring on my legs.

"Hey, you," I whispered, and added a smile. "Feel better now?"

She nodded and her hand moved to cup my face. "Much better," she said and grinned.

I changed the subject. "We need to speak with you about some things, the rest of the family and me. She's awake now," I called to let them know that they could come down now.

Carlisle, Esme, and the rest approached us. Carlisle sat down on the couch next to us and started to speak. "Bella, I think you know what's going on with you by now-"

"I do?" she asked, interrupting him.

"Well, even if you don't, we do. Or, at least, we think we do. It seems that your powers have…_side effects_." Carlisle paused to look at us before continuing. "Now, don't get me wrong, it _is_ strange and unusual—well, more like unheard of—but it is the only reason I can think of for why, whenever you use your gift, you seem to get weak and end up passing out on us." Carlisle smiled a little, even though, to me, this was no joking matter. He composed himself and went on. "You will need to learn to control yourself, Bella. You may be powerful, but your powers also have limitations. You need to control _them_ before they have a chance to control _you_. Do you understand, Bella?" His voice was full of concern. Carlisle's golden gaze bore into Bella's. His face softened some and he continued. "Well, at least you'll learn in time. It may take some time, but, don't worry, we will all help you become accustomed to our lifestyle, along with your gifts. And as for school…well, we may need to home-school you for a while; at least until you can control your powers—and yourself, for that matter, too—and can become strong enough to stop passing out on us each time you _do_ use them. It _can _be done, so there's no need to worry." He smiled sheepishly before he and the rest of the family left the room.

I stared at Bella, hoping that she would look at me, instead of blankly look around the room, like she was doing right now. "Bella?"

She turned to look at me, breaking out of her reverie.

"Did you catch all that?" Even though I knew fully well already that she actually did. Still, she nodded her head, but in sort of a sad manner. "Good. Now we can get to what Carlisle was talking about. About the whole controlling you thing, I mean." I cocked my head to the side to indicate to Bella that she should follow me to where it was that I was headed. "So…you actually won't mind having to be home-schooled for the time being?" I asked as we walked up the staircase to my room.

_Being with _you_ all the time, every minute of every day…? Uh-uh, _she thought. I know that, had she still been human, she would have blushed big time for thinking that, out of pure and utter embarrassment. I chuckled at her thoughts. Bella smiled bashfully but kept walking, but I stopped abruptly as I started seeing things…a vision, through Alice's eyes.

Bella is in the living room of Charlie's house, talking about non-important things with him. There's a knock on the front door and Charlie walks over to it, letting Billy and Jacob Black inside the house. Billy asks to speak with his friend, and Charlie leads him into the kitchen so that they can talk privately, leaving Bella and Jacob alone and uncomfortable in the foyer. The two of them can hear a heated conversation between Billy and Charlie, while they stand in an awkward silence. Billy is trying to convince Charlie that the Cullens are, in reality, actually vampires, but Charlie won't believe him. He thinks his friend is going crazy, mostly because of his age, is what he thinks. Charlie is growing angrier with every passing second, and ends up ordering Billy to leave, which he succeeds in doing so.

Bella put her hand on my shoulder. "Edward? Are you okay?" Her voice was full of concern.

Great. What are we going to do? It seems that the Blacks are going to rat us out. This is definitely not good.

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A/N: ooh ooh a cliffhanger! Well, sorta anyways…muahahahaha! Je suis evil! And, if ya don't know French, it means, I am evil lol but that's besides the point of this author's note…anyways, I hope you liked this chapter…it took a little longer than I expected it too and ive been working on it for a while now but, oh well, hopefully it was good, but I cant be sure, so you need to review review rEVieW! Lol j/k but actually, yes, please review and give me feedback cuz I could really use it lol ill let you go now…that is all…carry on….buh bye! love, trinatwilight11


	12. Hello

Hi everyone…yeah, so I would really appreciate it if you could let me know your ideas on what you think should happen in the next chapter…it would definitely help me out a lot and then you could all actually _read_ the next chapter and I'll end up feeling a lot better about my story….please help! I would be so incredibly grateful and then I would give you credit for coming up with whatever ideas you have…thanks!


	13. Arguments and Attempts

DISCLAIMER: nope…me no owny…lol the only things I own are my _Twilight_ hardcover book, my _New Moon_ book (which is coming—according to anyways—sometime around August 26th through September 12th but hopefully it's a lot more like August, but I have no idea lol), and, of course, my newly-acquired _Twilight_ paperback, which I just bought yesterday :happy sigh: lol don't own the rights, just the books… :smiles: wow, this just may be my longest disclaimer ever lol

A/N: AHH! The tenth chapter! Woo hoo! Lol, im happy…hehehe…OMG im almost to a hundred reviews! YES::jumps around and dances in circles screaming at top of lungs until runs into a wall then sulks in corner before coming back to computer…: oh jeez, I think that's like almost the longest one of those that ive ever written…well, besides the one that I have on my screensaver for my computer which is… : dANcEs aROuNd sCrEAmINg aT tOP oF LunGS cARryINg tWiLiGHt iN HAndS aND hUMs aLOnG tO dEBuSSy aND saYS "I LOVE EDWARD CULLEN!": well, I dunno, that _actually_ may be about the same length as the one I just wrote before… :sigh: lol ill let you go now…anyway, hope you enjoy::smiles: p.s. is it just me, or was that a _really, super long_ author's note there? Hmm, actually I just made it a lot longer, lol….oh, well….

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_LAST TIME…:_

Bella is in the living room of Charlie's house, talking about non-important things with him. There's a knock on the front door and Charlie walks over to it, letting Billy and Jacob Black inside the house. Billy asks to speak with his friend, and Charlie leads him into the kitchen so that they can talk privately, leaving Bella and Jacob alone and uncomfortable in the foyer. The two of them can hear a heated conversation between Billy and Charlie, while they stand in an awkward silence. Billy is trying to convince Charlie that the Cullens are, in reality, actually vampires, but Charlie won't believe him. He thinks his friend is going crazy, mostly because of his age, is what he thinks. Charlie is growing angrier with every passing second, and ends up ordering Billy to leave, which he succeeds in doing so.

Bella put her hand on my shoulder. "Edward? Are you okay?" Her voice was full of concern.

_Great. What are we going to do? It seems that the Blacks are going to rat us out. This is definitely not good._

NOW…:

(Edward's POV still):

I let out a feral snarl at the thought of Jacob and his father.

Bella tried to get my attention. "Edward!" she scolded. "What is going _on_ with you? What happened?"

"I'm sorry, Bella. It's nothing," I lied. I couldn't worry her about all of this. She was new to our lifestyle; it may only make her _more_ anxious about this whole thing and then she would probably only end up freaking out or something of the sort.

Bella seemed skeptical about what I said, but let it go in the end.

We made our way up to my room.

(Bella's POV):

I couldn't seem to understand what made Edward so upset just then; something was definitely bothering him. Despite what my new powers were and the fact that I could possibly just read his mind and figure out what it was, I figured I really shouldn't attempt to use them at the moment; Edward would only get angry with me, probably.

"Edward?" I asked hesitantly, stopping the both of us abruptly on the steps, and turned to look him in the eyes. "Umm, well, don't you think that I'm…well, it's just that Carlisle was saying how I'll need to get used to being around…_humans_"—I slightly cringed at the word, wincing, although I'd rather not let Edward see my disgust at the very thought of the crimson liquid flowing through their veins—"and their blood and I was just thinking…well, shouldn't we try to make me at least okay with being around it? Like, soon?" I don't really even know if what I just said made sense at all.

Edward studied me for a few seconds before answering. "Yes, I suppose we should." He paused and his face became inquiring. "Do you really want to do that right now, though, Bella? It will take a long time to make you used to it. A _long_ time."

I contemplated it for a moment. "You really think it'll take that long?" Edward nodded.

Edward nodded.

I sighed heavily before answering him. "Well…I guess if we don't start sometime soon, then I won't become" –I cleared my throat—"used to…_it_." I moved my eyes from the step that I had been staring at, to gaze into Edward's eyes.

Edward took my hand in his, kissed it gently, reassuringly, and nodded back down the stairs toward the door. He sighed in defeat. "Come on then," he said, and led me to the entryway.

"Wait! Where are we going?" I growled at him, confused, stopping us on the bottom step.

Edward looked shocked by my question, and paused before answering. "What do you mean? I'm taking you out…"

"Out _there_!" I practically shouted.

Edward raised his eyebrows at my sudden outburst. "Umm…yes? Bella, where _else_ did you think we're going to do this? If you're going to become accustomed to this type of blood, then you'll need to be someplace where there are actually _people_ around," he said, looking at me as if I were demented or something.

"Well…it's just that wouldn't it be a _tad_ bit overwhelming to me if there were hundreds of them all surrounded by each other out there, just walking around! I mean…well, couldn't you just bring one or two in here and then we could test my restraint and see if I can keep from sucking their blood!" My voice kept raising octaves by the word.

Edward burst out laughing. Laughing! He's _laughing _at me! Furious, I turned around and stomped up the spiral staircase to his bedroom.

"Bella…Bella, come back…" he said in between gasps for breath, due to his laughter. He was trying to get my attention and make me come back down, but I just kept walking to his room, and when I got there, I slammed the door shut, and tried to see if the large door had a lock on it. Thankfully, it did. I sat on the black couch and folded my arms across my chest.

"Bella!" Edward angrily pounded on the bedroom door. "Bella, open this door this instant!"

I didn't respond. He deserved to be shut out…even if it _was_ his room.

"Bella, I'm sorry! Please, _please_, forgive me and open the door…?" He tried to jiggle the handle but it wouldn't move.

"No!" I finally answered, shouting. "You had it coming to you! _You _were the one who suggested that we go _outside_, in the midst of a hundred _humans_ to make me better at this whole _vampire_ thing! So, I think you _deserve_ to be on the other side of that door!"

"Bella…I am _trying _to be patient here, but it's running a little low. So, will you _please_ allow your loving Edward to come in? Please…?" he asked in a small voice.

"No! Now go away!"

"BELLA!" he exclaimed, extremely loudly. "OPEN THIS DOOR!" When I didn't say anything, he added, a little softer, but still warningly, "Bella, I could easily find the key and let myself in…

"Then why _don't_ you?" I asked childishly.

"Because I'd rather you do it _willingly_! Now let me in!"

"No! Never!"

I looked around the room and my eyes landed on the key; it was on a table next to where I was sitting. I started giggling. _Ha! Now you_ can't_ open it! Dumb man who thinks he knows everything…_ I stared at the door to see what he would say next.

"Bella, please don't make me destroy this door by breaking it down," he sighed in exasperation. "Bella…" his patience was definitely running low, I could tell, "if you don't open this door in three seconds, I swear I'll never speak to you again," he threatened. "Three…"

Horror washed through me and I sprinted over to open the door. "Two…" he was saying on the other side. And "One," as I opened it, which I immediately regretted doing; I had told myself that I wouldn't open the door, no matter _what_ he did. Relief flooded his face. "Thank you. I don't think I could have lived with never talking to you again. What?" he asked as he saw the hateful expression on my face. I walked back over to the couch, sat on it, and brought my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them, turned away from Edward.

I felt the couch move as he came up behind me and started to rub my shoulders, hoping to relieve my tension, although he most likely knew it wouldn't do any good. "Bella, I'm extremely sorry. I shouldn't have laughed at you; it was out of line. Say you'll forgive me?" he pleaded as he rested his chin on my shoulder, and started to plant kisses on my cheek and neck. Totally not fair that he should be so alluring and adorable.

"Fine," I said, grumpily, trying not to give in to his kissing, trying to stand my ground. My _voice_ sounded strong, but my _body_ wasn't cooperating; I was breathing heavily at even the simplest of his touches. I inwardly cursed my body for not doing what I wanted it to do, which was to just stay still for once. Still with my arms around my legs, I slowly turned around to face him, frowning. "I forgive you. But that doesn't change the fact that you shouldn't have laughed," I told him, shyly, looking up at him under my eyelashes.

"I know," he reassured me, and quickly changed the subject. "But, could we go outside now? Perhaps the fresh air will do you a bit of good, even mixed with the scent of their blood…."

I glared at him. He was still planning on making me go out there…where I could possibly kill some innocent person—or people—in an instant, as soon as I smelt them! Edward is crazy!

He laughed a tiny bit, but as soon as I glowered at him once more, he stopped. "Sorry," he said quickly, shame-faced, and took my hand in his, assuming that my silence was a 'yes'. But, then again, he could read my mind now—something I would have to get used to—and so he had probably prodded into it, and found out that he truly was forgiven, and that I had given up on fighting him anymore. Stupid mind-reading powers. Even still, I followed him down the stairs and to the foyer, where he stopped abruptly.

"Bella, hold your breath for the first few seconds that we're out there, and don't let go of it until I tell you to, okay? If needed, I _will_ restrain you, so there's no need to worry about…well, killing anyone. I'm here," he said, and kissed my forehead. I nodded under his lips. He pulled back and took my hand once again. "Ready?"

I sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be…" I said and smiled weakly, before holding my breath. Edward opened the door and led me outside, right beside me. We both must have forgotten that the Cullens' house was completely secluded by the rest of the town. He nodded, and I let out my breath I had been holding. Edward must've read my mind, thinking the same things, because he led me over to his silver Volvo and helped me in, even though I didn't really need it anymore. It took Edward all of a few minutes to make it into the town of Forks. As soon as we made it in there, Edward told me to hold my breath once again. We stepped out of the car as we stopped in the parking lot of the Thriftway.

"Are you still holding your breath?" Edward asked, turning to look at me. I nodded my head viciously. I'm sure that, had I still been human and I had done that, I would've killed some brain cells in the process. He came up behind me, rested his chin on my shoulder for the second time in less than twenty minutes, and whispered in my ear, "Alright. Let it out."

Sighing and closing my eyes, I did, and…nothing happened. I snapped my eyes open. There were only about two people that were walking either to or from their vehicles, but I had no urge to do anything to them. I breathed in and out, just to make sure that I had actually released my air I had been keeping locked tight in my mouth. I was breathing, but still, nothing happened to me. I looked up at Edward quizzically, turning around in the arms he had around my waist. I could see the look of confusion on his face, the same expression that I must be wearing also. Our gazes both turned to see a middle-aged woman walking into the store. Edward and I stared at each other for a long moment, both with baffled expressions. Edward finally spoke.

"Bella….What's going on? You _should_ be wanting to run up to her and…you know…but…you're _not_…" I had never seen him struggle so hard for words before this moment.

"No…I'm not wanting to do…_anything_ to her, Edward." I stared up into his golden eyes. They were staring at mine, a mixture of perplexity, mystification, bewilderment, and, most of all, amazement. I just kept staring into his eyes. "What is it, Edward?" I asked him, a little scared about the amazement part.

"Bella, don't you understand what this means?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. What's he _talking _about? What does this mean?

Reading my mind, he answered my unspoken questions. "Bella, this means you're immune. To human blood, I mean. No one of our kind has that ability. Unless you can count Carlisle, but he had to work at it for years and years to perfect his immunity. You can do it without even having tried _at all_. _That_, my dear, is amazing," he said before kissing my lips gently and then continued the conversation. "Oh, how I wish I were you…" he sighed dreamily.

I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah, well, being _me_ is confusing, Edward. Snap out of it," I said and broke him out of his reverie. "I just don't understand _why_ I'm immune to the scent…."

Edward seemed to think about it for a minute. "Well, isn't it obvious?" When I didn't answer, he explained what he was thinking. "Think about it, Bella. When you were still human, you said, and I quote, 'it smells like rust…and salt.'" He smiled then, amused. "So you see, that must be why. Because of your disgust for it then, it must be enhanced now. Carlisle and I talked about that theory once, but then I rethought it, thinking that it may not actually be a possibility. Don't ask why," he said when I opened my mouth to question him. "_I_ don't even know why I thought that, so…" he let his voice trail off. "Bella, you're _very_ lucky."

I smiled after a few seconds. "Of course I am. I have _you_," I said, touching my forefinger to his nose on the word 'you,' and smiled again before touching my lips to his again in a passionate kiss. I had no idea at the time that things were to get complicated…and so soon….

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A/N: So, there ya have it! The tenth chapter of "Hope for a new love"…..YAY! I finally finished it! I got my copy of _New Moon_ right in the middle of my writing this, and though it only took me a day and a half (not even) to read it, I couldn't exactly bring myself to write anything in this chapter…so, that's why it took me so long. Yeah, I finally got _New Moon_ on the 23rd, read it for about 80 pages that night, went to bed cuz I was SO TIRED and got up the next day at 11:11 AM, and finished the book at exactly 4:30 in the morning…so, yeah, it was really fun just reading it in bed the entire day… but, anyways, I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER! The fight was super fun to write! Hey, that rhymed…lol….. : skips away from computer singing 'lalalalala…':


	14. Hi Guys

Hi guys! -waves energetically- I've realized that what I wrote in one of my early chapters was clearly wrong, since what I wrote was that all four of the Cullens (well, obviously not including Edward in this mix, here) (including Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper) when, really, it should've been just Alice there at the lunch table, since her and Edward would just be becoming seniors (for the umpteenth time, lol) (also, this includes a chapter after this one, too) So, I'm sorry for this mistake, I'm only realizing it just now. :)

Another note….

I should also warn you guys that in this story, Jacob is not –I repeat, NOT—a werewolf. I figured that, due to reasons that I have, it wouldn't fit, you know, timewise. Because in my story, it is November, and Jacob doesn't actually turn into a werewolf with Sam and all them guys until months later, far after November. So, at this point in time, Jacob is still intent on believing that his father, Billy, is just a superstitious old man. So, unfortunately for some people, we won't be seeing lovely Jacob Black being all hot and bothered (lol, insert giggle here, hehehe), not being able to control his temper, and then turning into a wolf. But, don't think that I'm only torturing you guys, because I'm also doing that to myself. I, personally, like seeing him as a wolf. Lol. BTW, I'm sorry if this disappoints any of you, it disappoints me as well. I just thought that I should go along with the New Moon timeline, so to speak.


	15. Phone Call

**DISCLAIMER: don't own _Twilight_….very unfortunately….lol, wish I could say I did, but if I did that, then I'd probably get sued, so I don't think that's the best thing to do….so….you get the drift…**

**A/N: YAY!!!!!!! I'm finally back!!!!!! From my long hiatus, due to the three weeks since I've started school again…I'm a senior this year! Woo hoo! Lol, anyways, I haven't been able to write, due to my chemistry project that I've had to do, so, that sucked, and it was making me sad… -tear- lol, anywho, I really hope you like this chapter…I have the next few planned out, but mostly just in my mind…did that make sense…? Oh well, I bet like, none of you even read these things anyways….lol, on with the story! The next chapter of _Hope For a New Love_!!!! Enjoy!**

We were lying on the grass early in the evening the next day, just enjoying being together again after so many months apart, staring at the sky. It was just before sunset, the stars appearing in the night sky, the rest of the horizon painted a mixture of yellow, pink, orange, and purple. Around me were the arms of the man I loved, the one I would be with forever. It was absolutely perfect.

Edward and I were staring at the night sky, watching the sun setting, when our skin began to sparkle. I let out a small, musical laugh, and smiled up at Edward briefly, and then looked back at my arm and started turning my hand around, observing it, with it glittering due to the rare sun of Forks, Washington.

He smiled at my amazed reaction and leaned down to kiss me on my hair. Suddenly, I out-of-the-blue thought of something…. _Does this mean I'm a Cullen now?_

I felt Edward nod his head behind me. I looked back at him, and he was just smiling. How'd he know what I was thinking? Oh, yeah. Edward mind reader. I smiled back at him and faced my head toward the sunset once again.

I heard my Muse's "Time is Running Out" ring tone go off on my cell phone. _Oh crap. Charlie. What am I going to say? _Edward gracefully wrapped his arms around my body in reassurance. I thought frantically for some excuse as to my continued absence from home, but wasn't able to come up with anything. Reluctantly, I answered the phone.

"Hello?" I asked shakily, afraid of what he might say.

"Bella Swan, where have you been?" Charlie screamed into the phone.

"Uh, hey dad." I glanced over at Edward. He rolled his eyes and was shaking his head in disappointment. "How are you?" I tried to sound like I really wanted to know, when, in reality, all I wanted to do was just get off the phone.

"How am I?" he repeated. "Well, let's see, how am I? Oh, I don't know, maybe I'm FRIGHTENED because my own _daughter_ didn't call me for almost a WHOLE WEEK! Maybe that's how I am."

"Yeah, I kind of forgot to tell you. I've been staying at Edward's for the past week or so…" _Has it really been that long?_

"Yeah, well, Bella, next time, could you tell me before you just 'stay at Edward's'?" he mocked. I couldn't help feeling sorry for Charlie; it must be hard to be single father. I also thought how it must be hard to be the parents of a vampire.

Edward turned his head to let me continue our talk, going off into a daydream.

"Uh, dad, I've got to go. But, how about I come over? We aren't really doing anything tonight, so I have time…." Edward's head snapped back to me.

"Yeah, about that, Bella… I think that that'd be a _very_ good idea…."

"What's he _talking_ about?" I mouthed to Edward. Surprisingly, Edward didn't respond. He had some weird look on his face, but I couldn't quite depict what it was.

I was hesitant about it, but I asked anyway. "Umm…_why_ is that such a good idea…?" I glanced over at Edward.

Charlie paused before answering, like he really didn't want to tell me, or something. "Well…Billy and Jacob are here," was all he said at first, and did a little, nervous laugh. "They'd like to speak to you."

Oh, shoot.

I stole another glance at Edward quick. He was just…furious. Why was he so mad? And who at? Jeez, he's acting weird lately

A measly little "oh" was all that I could seem to get out of my mouth in my shocked state.

"We'll be right over…" I eventually mumbled into the phone when I found my voice again, and snapped the cell phone shut.

"They know," I said unemotionally, like a robot, aloud to Edward. "They know. They _know_." I could seem to make myself stop saying or thinking it. It was obvious to me now. They _had_ to know that I was back with the Cullens again. They _had_ to know that Edward and I were back together and that he had changed me. What else would the two of them so desperately need to speak to me about? What else would be so important? They know. _They know._

I glanced back at Edward, and found him staring at me, looking like he wanted to destroy something.

"Edward…?" I asked cautiously. When he didn't respond, I tried again, but this time much more upfront. "Edward, what the hell is _wrong_ with you?" This, I'll tell you, got his attention. He started talking a mile a minute, still something that I was getting used to hearing, as it actually sounded normal to me now.

"Wrong? Oh, nothing's wrong. It's just that I have enemies here, Bella, and some of those enemies now know what I've made of you, and that just messes up everything. I saw Alice's vision the other day. It's of you over at your house, Bella, with Charlie and Billy and Jacob Black. Billy was talking to your father, trying to convince him that you're-- well, what you are now!" He said this part frustrated, gesturing with a hand to me. Why was he _yelling_ at me?!

"Which is what?" I snapped at him. "I'm immortal now, I'm with the one I love!"

"Well, so what, Bella? I've killed you! You can never have a normal life again! It's horrible and I can't believe that I've actually done this to you!"

"Edward, do you actually _regret_ changing me?" I just had to make sure that I'd heard him right. "Seriously?" I mean, how _fair_ is _that_??? Not at all fair.

"Bella, it's _very _fair. I never should have allowed myself to do it!"

If I could still cry, I would have been at that exact moment. "Fine! I'll just go myself, then!" I shouted back at him when I finally found my voice once more, and strode off toward the woods and took off running at full speed toward Charlie's house. But, to my ultimate surprise…Edward didn't rush after me.

------------

**A/N: I'm sorry, but I just _needed_ to cut this off here. Something I just needed to do, because…well, yeah, I just _did_. But, all is well, because you'll be getting a new chapter VERY soon…and this time, I PROMISE that, since we have a break coming up right now, with this Thursday and Friday and next Monday off as well, so I WILL be updating by then, and, on the off-chance that I don't, you can all throw tomatoes at me, and send me flames, but that's ONLY if I DON'T update by Monday….otherwise, please no flames or tomatoes…. –shudders- now…go ahead and press that pretty little periwinkle button please………**

**P.S. Sorry that this chapter was so short and that it wasn't very good, you'll have to forgive me, since I've been having a rough time with this chapter, even though it may not seem like that, it was. But, don't let that discourage you from reading this story, as there is a lot more to come…! **

**Next time: the vision…comes true! Ah! The horror! -does dramatic hand to head- **


	16. Fights and Apologies

A/N: Hello, my fellow fanfictioners out there! Why, how are you? I'm doin pretty good on my end…so, anyways, as I said before, I really just had to break this up, so here you go, the next chapter, which is actually chapter 12! Woo hoo! Go me! Lol j/k on with it, shall we? Yes, we shall…. –nods-

DISCLAIMER: don't own them. deal with it.

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I turned my running into walking as I approached the house. But then I stopped. It suddenly dawned on me. I looked different. Sure, Billy already knows, and he's trying to get his son to believe the same things he does, but what about Charlie? If, in fact, Billy really _did_ tell Charlie that he thinks I'm a vampire, along with the rest of the Cullens, and then he sees how different I look, what's he going to think? But then again, he didn't really know about the whole changing-how-you-look thing that the transformation brought upon someone…. So, then, maybe all would be fine. Maybe.

But maybe not.

I took a deep breath before entering the yard, and strode up to the house. It seemed like ages since I've been here. It was almost strange in a way, to be standing here. It actually felt _strange_ to be at my house. But maybe that was because it didn't feel like my home anymore. I was at home with the Cullens now; not Charlie. And that feeling made me feel like I had somehow betrayed Charlie. Even though I don't know why. Perhaps it was that I had chosen Edward and the rest of his family over my own father. But couldn't I have both?

Apparently not.

I entered the house and looked around the foyer to see Jacob Black standing there.

"Uh…hi," I said uncomfortably to him.

"Hey," he replied in his husky voice, only a tiny bit of friendliness in it.

"Um…where's Charlie?"

"He's in the kitchen. With my dad," he said icily and let the conversation dwindle into a discontent silence.

I could hear Charlie and Billy shouting things at each other as if they were right beside me. Charlie was yelling at his friend that he was crazy. I could only guess what he was supposedly crazy about…. Billy shouted back with saying that it was completely true, that the Cullens and I were vampires. Although I really don't see how he would have known that I was also one of them now. It didn't make any sense. How could he have known? I didn't understand it. They kept interrupting each other, starting their own sentences in the middle of the others', merging all of them together.

Charlie came storming out of the kitchen toward Jacob and me, heading to the door for some reason.

That's when he saw me. For the first time since my change. And to say that he was shocked? Yeah, that'd be a _total _understatement.

At first he just stood there, staring at me, trying to ingest what he saw. "Bella…" he whispered, and let his voice trail off slightly. "Bella, what happened to you…?" his voice was barely a whisper now, but I could hear it clearly, even so.

What happened to me? If only he knew. But, then again, that's what Billy was trying to do. To inform him of what his daughter has become. And all for the man she loves. But I didn't care. Edward was the only one I wanted, for now and ever. And now we're finally able to have that. Even if we _were_ in an argument at the particular moment.

I looked down at myself, pretending to wonder what in the world he was talking about, and then looked back up at him, straight into his eyes. "Umm… What do you mean what happened to me?" I said in a soft and innocent—but not _too_ innocent, as it might tip them off—voice.

Charlie took in a sharp intake of breath, and started breathing kind of hard. Oh my god, he's going to _die_ on me… This would be hard to explain to Renée, his sudden death.

But to my surprise, he just turned around and charged right back into the kitchen. I guess that Billy would have known Charlie would come to see him in the kitchen once again, since he was still in there. I stole a quick glance at Jacob. He was just staring after Charlie. I looked back at the direction that my father had just headed off to and listened to him yell at his friend once again. He was accusing Billy of doing something to me, changing my appearance, to make Charlie believe that he really was telling the truth. Although, I really don't see how Billy Black could have caused my recent appearance. He tells his friend that he's crazy, that vampires don't exist. If only he could know what his own daughter really is now. But, then again, isn't that really what Billy was trying to convince him of? That his only daughter and her boyfriend and his family really _are _just that—vampires.

Jacob and I just stood there, listening intently to our fathers argue. Finally, Charlie orders Billy to leave, practically shoving him to make him go faster, so that he could get the old man out of his house. Which I'm pretty sure he would have done even harder, had he not been in a wheelchair. Jacob followed after his father out the door, and I could hear the engine of their car start, and then the two of them leaving, back to their home in La Push.

I turned back to Charlie. He was breathing hard from the argument, and I had a feeling that he just may have a heart attack, so I went and did a very unusual gesture for the two of us. I hugged him. Just one simple thing to do, but it definitely calmed him down a lot, and he hugged me back, which I was thankful for. I really don't know what I'll do years from now, when I've lost my parents, and I'm still living, still eighteen. But, for now, I am just here with my father, sharing one of those moments with him. And that's all I could ask for right now.

---

It was dark by the time I was done talking with Charlie—about nothing in particular, just talking—and was back at the Cullens' house. Edward was waiting on the steps of the house for me in all of his godlike glory, the porch light turned on. I had a grim look on my face, standing about fifty feet away, just looking at him. I picked up my feet once again, and walked over to him, and sat next to him on the step.

We sat there together for a minute without speaking.

"I'm sorry," we both mumbled at the same time. I stared at him in surprise, wondering what in the world he had to be sorry for. I looked at him quizzically. He was looking at me the same way, unsure of what I could possibly be sorry for.

I was about to explain to him, but I opened my mouth at the same time he did. We smiled for a moment, before trying again. "Go ahead," I told him, softness in my tone.

"No, you first. Really," he said, and smiled. He had actually allowed me to be the first to explain.

"Okay…" I said slowly, a small smile on my face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted that way earlier. Maybe it's still a sensitive subject to be talking about chang-"

"Bella, it's fine. I was just-"

I shook my hand, stopping him. "No, let me finish. Please." I paused, and he didn't say anything. I continued. "Maybe it really _is_ still a bad subject to be talking about with you, you changing me. I mean, you really _did_ just change me not too long ago, so maybe it's hard for you. I can understand that. I mean, it's hard to get used to the changes that I've been through, and that's just me. It must be really hard for you, too, to get accustomed to me like this, and I get that. You just have to tell m-" I was cut off by Edward's chuckling at me. "What?!" I screamed, trying to figure out why the hell he was laughing at me.

"Vampire speed-talk, my love." He bumped his shoulder into mine playfully as he said this. "I wasn't exactly expecting it," he said smiling.

I couldn't help but smiling at this, too. "Go ahead now," I told him after I was done smiling along with him.

"I _don't _regret changing you. You, of all people, should be able to know that by now. You are right in saying that it's hard for me right now, but that's really all right. It think that, in time, I will be able to adjust to you and your many changes. Don't believe _every_thing I say, Bella, because what I said earlier was just a ruse. I was _trying_ to make you not go to Charlie's. I saw a vision from Alice a few days ago, and I'm sorry for keeping it from you. I just…I just hoped that it really wouldn't come true. Wishful thinking, wouldn't you say?" A tiny smile played on his face, and his eyebrows were raised.

"Wishful thinking, indeed," I agreed, and smiled a little at him. We sat in silence for a minute, staring at the night sky, before I spoke again. "Charlie didn't believe him," I said, and I wasn't sure if I should smile out of joy, or frown, because of the grim situation we were in at the moment, so I just kept my face straight. I looked over at Edward, my eyebrows raised, just like his were only a minute before, and waited for him to say something.

His gaze was already turned on me from the moment I had said it, and his eyebrows knit together after a moment. "Are you all right…?" he asked softly, cautiously, probably hoping he wouldn't upset me if he said it.

I leaned back against his shoulder, and turned my head so that I could see the stars that were so rare in Forks. "I think I will be…" I said it softly, and continued to look at the beautiful stars. I felt him lean down and kiss my forehead. I smiled, despite of the situation I was in. He leaned down even further so that he could kiss me on the lips…passionately. With need. And desire. There were so many emotions in that kiss that it was hard to even describe.

When we were done, we stared back at the stars, in our original positions, both holding back our smiles, but I could somehow sense that Edward was keeping one in, also.

I heard the front door of the house swing open, but neither of us moved even a millimeter. We stayed in our places, as we heard Alice's perky voice come out of her. "Bella, you're back! Did you and Edward want to come inside, now that you're home?"

"We're fine," we mumbled, monotone, in unison. _We're fine…_ I thought. _Edward and I are just fine. We're where we need to be. Where we're _meant_ to be. Next to each other._

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A/N: So? What'd ya'll think? Trust me, this is NOT the end. I repeat, it is NOT THE END OF THE STORY. So, please don't think this. At all. Because, trust me, I have a LOT more to tell. And, to tell ya the truth…it's not exactly all butterflies and fairy tales in my Twilight universe that I'm livin in here….Sorry….lol, so, I shall update VERY soon, and yeah, I'm pretty sure that, like, none of you out there actually read these little ramblings of mine, so, I'm gonna go now….buh bye! hope you liked this chapter!

Now…press the pretty little purple button down there….. -hypnotizes-


	17. Disaster

**A/N: Hi ya'll! Haha, I'm gonna be southern now…sup ya'll? Anyways, moving on…I'm super excited about this chapter, I've been anticipating it for a while now. Yeah, I was getting kinda depressed that I wasn't able to write a part of this chapter here and post it up right away for all the twilight fanfictioners out there to see and read. So, I just wrote down what I had in my head at the time, and kept writing little snippets (yeah, that's basically what they are, is snippets) and now I can FINALLY put them all together…_this_ should be interesting….**

**DISCLAIMER: hahahahahahahahahahaha……-laughs hysterically for the next fifteen minutes- yeah right, like _I_ could actually own something as fantastical as _Twilight_!!!! Haha, no. –scoffs-**

**---**

Edward and I had just seen the sun rise in the morning sky when we heard the front door to the Cullen home open once again.

"So are you guys coming to school today?" we heard Alice's perky voice chime from behind us.

I looked over at Edward in question. _Were_ we going?

"Well, I suppose we _should_ go," Edward decided at last. I was about to protest, saying that I didn't need an education, but he interrupted my interruption. Go figure. "I mean, it is, after all, your senior year. You really _should_ finish it, even though you'll be doing this many times after, but…" his voice trailed off. "But, we'll just do this anyway. For Charlie and Renee, okay?" He flashed a grin at me.

I glared at his beautiful face for a split second before answering. "Fine," I agreed angrily, and got up off the step and away from him. "But I don't like it…!" I said defiantly, while brushing past the tiny Alice, who was still standing in the doorway.

I took a shower, out of pure habit, dressed, blow-dried my hair quickly, and ran downstairs to meet Edward and Alice for school.

After driving to school in Edward's Volvo with him and Alice, we headed to our classes, Alice going the opposite way of Edward and myself.

I sat down in my desk next to Edward, and saw that Mike was sauntering over toward me.

I internally groaned (and then, of course, heard Edward chuckle beside me—at which I glared at him for the second time that morning) and put on my best—fake, of course—smile. Mike, Mike, Mike…! Why is it _always Mike_?!? Ugh.

He looked like he was baffled, at a loss for words. The mute finally spoke, coming out of his reverie.

"Er…hey, Bella…"

I had buried my head in my hand as soon as I saw that Mike was coming over to me, and now I waved at him slightly with that same hand, my head still in it. "Hi, Mike," I choked out, a faux smile still plastered on my face.

The next thing I did, I did for two reasons. One, I wanted to know what was going on in that pretty little mind of his. And two, I just wanted to try out my awesome new power again.

So, I borrowed Edward's power again and found myself hearing the thoughts of everyone within a three-mile radius.

I glanced over at Edward first while giggling just a little because no one else had my abilities. To be able to take any one else's power, I mean. My smile slowly faded as I came in contact with Edward's once-liquid-topaz eyes, which had now turned black as the night sky.

He was glaring at me slightly, so I tore my eyes away from his gaze and focused instead on Mike's thoughts.

And do you know what was going on in that mind of his? Nothing. Absolutely _nothing_. Heh. Figures. I would have rolled my eyes at Mike, but that would have been just a _little_ rude, right? Right. So I just stared at him, a slight smile still on my face, with my eyebrows raised, and waited until he spoke again.

"So, Bella, where have to been for the past week, anyway? You've kinda missed a lot in class. Mr. Bentley's really been piling on the work for us. You're really going to have to catch up on stuff here, you know."

Great. Just _great_.

I quickly made up an excuse for my absence. "Oh, I was in, um, Jamaica." Jamaica? What kind of lame excuse is _that_? Nice, Bella, real nice. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Edward laughed beside me. _What?_ I mentally communicated to him, now that he could hear me. Pause. Edward just stared at me, trying to hide his laughter. _That's all I could think of! _Pause. _Leave me alone! _I screamed in my head to him, melodramatically. I crouched down in my seat a little, hoping to become invisible to the world. This, along with my thoughts to him, just made him laugh harder.

I looked back to Mike, and saw his eyebrow shoot up. "Jamaica?" he questioned, unbelieving. "That's funny, you don't _look_ any tanner. In fact, if you ask me, you actually look _paler_. Huh, weird…" his voice trailed off. Lucky for me, he changed the subject after a moment. "Anyway, I was wondering if I could talk to after class…?" he asked nonchalantly, but I could tell by his thoughts (which he had finally regained) that he was actually nervous.

_Oh, man, what'll I say to her? She's going to take it really hard, I know, I just _know_ she will. This is a disaster…_ His thoughts trailed off as I shut him out.

What does he mean by 'this is a disaster…' ??? _What's_ a disaster? I'm assuming he means the breakup that Edward took into his own hands last week, but I can't be sure.

"S-sure, I'll meet you after class…" I answered his question finally, really wondering what he could possibly be wanting to talk to me so desperately about.

Mike grinned, a nervous aura still about him. He took a shaky, deep breath. "Great." He paused. "Well, bye," he said, and walked awkwardly back to his seat.

I looked over at Edward. "What was _that_ all about?" I asked in a whisper, since Mr. Bentley was now calling the class to order.

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows…?" he said hypothetically, and turned his attention to the teacher at the front of the classroom. I stared at him for a moment more, examining him. What the hell is going on with this world? Everyone's being so cryptic, it seems like they're all keeping something from me, or something… _Strange…_ was my last thought before I looked back to Mr. Bentley.

After class, I exited the room, and waited for Mike. I had told Edward that I would catch up with him later, he nodded and gave me a kiss, then left me to go to his next class, which I, unfortunately, wasn't in.

I saw Mike emerge from the classroom and come to stand next to me, so that we were facing each other.

"So, what's going on?" I asked sweetly, although I think there was a hint of suspiciousness also in my voice when I said that. "Is everything all right?" I asked when he didn't say anything. I was getting a little worried, to tell the truth.

"Uh…Bella. I think there's something you really have a right to know."

Okay. Now I was _really_ getting worried. Oh, screw that, I wasn't _getting_ worried, I _was_ worried.

"And what is that?" I asked, my eyebrows coming together.

"Bella, I…saw-" he cut himself off, like it was really hard to say this.

"What did you see?" I demanded.

"Bella, I saw Edward with someone…someone else."

I couldn't comprehend this. I shook my head, not sure if I was hearing him correctly. "Uh…what? I…don't understand," I choked on my words.

"Bella, he _cheated _on you." It was sure getting easier for him to say what he needed to, now that he had gotten the first part out.

"What are you _talking_ about?! Edward never _cheated_ on me! He would _never_ do that!" I shouted at him.

Mike took my right hand in both of his and looked me straight in the eyes. "But he _did_…" he said softly. "He _did_, Bella. I'm so sorry," he said before grabbing me in a hug. I was in such a confused state that I didn't break our embrace.

"But…how…? How could you _possibly_ know…?" I asked, looking up at him.

He broke our affectionate embrace and just had his hands on my shoulders. He looked just a little bashful just now, something I don't think I've _ever_ seen Mike look like before. "Oh, well…when I found out what Edward did you—you know, before you and I were…_together_—I wanted to find out why. Why in the world Edward would break up with you. It didn't really make any sense on my part; I couldn't seem to find any reason for where your relationship with him went wrong. So, I…I went to find him. I ended up going to Alaska. I remember you saying how he and his family had friends there. So, I…I found him. He was in a huge, white house. I could see him through the window. He was hugging some girl, consoling her about something-"

I broke him off there. "But, that doesn't mean anything. She could have been having a hard time and he was just trying to help her out with it. A hug doesn't mean anything. I mean, that's what you and I were just-"

"But that's not all they were doing, Bella! He kissed her! And not just some kind of kiss you would give to your grandmother, either. He was _with her_," he tried to make it as clear as possible for me.

I felt like I was going to hyperventilate. If I could cry at all, I would have been _bawling_ at this point. I was in denial, and that's all there was to it. I couldn't try to convince myself anymore that what Mike was saying was actually false. It was true. I could tell by the sincerity in Mike's voice.

I was taking in shaky breaths. My lips were twitching.

"…Oh…" I managed to get out, and started jogging away from him down the hallway, trying desperately to find an exit, any way to get out of here.

I heard a classroom door open, and, startled, I turned around, only to find that it was Edward, in all of his evilness, who emerged from it. Still shaking, but my instincts still functioning properly, I turned around, only to come in contact—finally—with an exit.

"Bella…" he whispered. My hand was on the door handle, ready to open it when I needed to.

"You are a liar and a cheater, Edward Cullen," I spat menacingly, staring at the floor, and then bravely looked into his face when he didn't say anything more. "I'm leaving," I announced quietly and started to open the door.

"Bella…Bella, wait!" He pleaded as he ran over to grasp my arm loosely in his large hand. But, even so, I didn't try to get away from him for some reason. What was that expression he was wearing? Was he…heartbroken? What did _he_ have to be heartbroken for? _He's_ the one who _started_ this whole mess. "You…you don't really _believe_ him, do you?" he asked in disbelief.

I turned to look at him, my arm falling from his grip, as I sized him up and down. "Right now, Edward, it's a lot easier to believe him than you."

When he didn't say anything again, I continued, shaking my head. "I should have never believed that you still loved me," I muttered, mostly to myself. "I mean, who actually leaves someone he loves after just one measly, little fight?!" I mused, my voice raising octaves near the end.

"Bella… I'm sorry…" he barely got out.

"Sorry just isn't good enough, Edward. Not this time."

As I exited the school building, I was shaking my head, trying to fight back my feelings of wanting to cry. Feelings of loneliness. Of betrayal. Of wanting to _die_.

Please, just relieve me of my existence, so that I won't have to feel the pain inside of me anymore…!

This life is a nightmare!

I went through pain numerous times, and for what?!? That betraying, cheating _asshole_! First, with James, then when he left me—and now I know that it was all because of some _slut_!—and then when he bit me after Victoria came to us in the meadow. Wait, forget _that_, there _is_ no "us" anymore. We're over. Do you hear that, Edward, you smug cheating _bastard_, we're over! O-VER!!!

I examined the parking lot of the school, and then the highway. Where would I go now? I _certainly_ couldn't go back to Edward's, and he would find me at Charlie's in no time flat. But then, if he knew what was good for him, he wouldn't try to find me at all.

---

Songs I listened to while writing:

"Goodbye My Lover" –James Blunt

"The Kill" –30 Seconds to Mars

"I'll Make a Man Out of You" –from _Mulan_ soundtrack

"Footloose" –Kenny Loggins

"U + Ur Hand" –Pink

"Time is Running Out" –Muse

"Dare You to Move" –Switchfoot

"Boomerang" –Steven Strait

The entire Anna Nalick CD

"Love Song for a Vampire" –Annie Lennox

"Animal I Have Become" –Three Days Grace

"The Greatest Story Ever Told" –Oliver James

"Face Down" –The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

haha, and that's just the _last_ day of writing, and what songs I was listening to while writing… imagine what _other_ songs I could list for you that I _also_ listened to…whoa, in fact, _don't _try to imagine it…TOO MANY!!! Lol

**A/N: Dun Dun Dun! Nah, just kidding…lol I'm a huge dork, I know, no need to inform me… --cries because of dorkiness and everyone making fun of for it-- lol _Anyways…_ moving on… I really hope you liked this chapter, it was kinda hard to write, but I tried, and I think it turned out pretty well… to tell ya the truth, I've actually been anticipating this particular part for a good two months or so now… Seriously. I'm, like, not even kidding. I would write down little snippets whenever I thought of something, and now they've all come together! Woo hoo! --jumps around screaming and dancing then stubs toe on bucket…why a bucket, you ask? because it's there just for randomness, because trina equals random. that's why-- lol, anwho, **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW… please? Pretty please???? Thank ya much!!!**


	18. Explanation

**DISCLAIMER: don't own it…very sad fact that is, but it's true, nonetheless…darn**

**A/N: alright, I know all of you out there who've been following my rollercoaster ride story here have been getting a little frustrated probably with Edward and Bella's relationship, but hold on tight, this may end in a cliffhanger, though. And now, peoples, I know you're getting a little agitated awaiting the next chapter so…here it is! I won't keep you any longer. CHAPTER FOURTEEN!!! YAY!!! lol**

---

**Bella's POV:**

I sat here, in this lonely hotel room, staring at the wall, in all its tacky wallpaper glory. I was trying to hold back my sobs of torment, but I wasn't exactly doing too great a job at it. I was defeated.

How I had gotten here hadn't been too extremely difficult. I found a car with the keys still—luckily—in the ignition while I was walking through the student parking lot, so, out of pure spontaneity, I took off in it.

_Oh, great,_ I thought, burying my head in my hands, _so now I'm a criminal. Ugh, what am I going to do now? When did my life get to be such a mess?_

When you let that man into your heart, you idiot…

I crouched up into the fetal position, trembling with sobs.

---

**Edward's POV:** (btw, this'll start a little bit before) (p.s. Edward's just a _little_ oblivious right now…psh, yeah, right, he's _way_ oblivious…lol)

"Bella…I'm sorry…" I apologized. Although, for what, I'm not sure, exactly. What in the world am I sorry for? Sorry just seemed like the right thing to say at the time being.

"Sorry just isn't good enough, Edward. Not this time."

And with that, she exited the school.

I found myself standing there stock still, in shock of what had just happened. I was utterly confused, to say the least.

Trying to determine what made her so upset, I peeked into her thoughts.

_Wait, forget _that,_ there _is_ no "us" anymore. We're over. Do you hear that Edward, you smug, cheating _bastard, _we're over! O-VER!!!_

Over? We're over? Bella and me, we're over? Why in hell are we _over_??? Ugh, this doesn't make any goddamn _sense!_

Wait a minute, did my Bella just call me a smug, cheating _bastard_…? Why would she say _that_? How could she _possibly_ think that I would _ever _do_ that?_

So I scurried out of the school, to catch up with Bella in the school parking lot. But she wasn't there any more. She was gone.

So what choice did I have but to leave also? I hopped into the driver's seat of my car and headed toward home.

I made it there in a small matter of minutes. I sprinted up the driveway and burst into the house, and at once began looking for her, but she was nowhere to be seen, so I yelled her name. No answer.

I shouted it again. Still nothing. I searched the entire house inside and out before going to Charlie's home to see if that was where she had gone to after all.

As it turns out, she wasn't hiding there, either.

I sped out of the driveway of Charlie's house and went back to school, in the serious mood for moping.

I headed to the main office of the school and strode over to the counter where Ms. Cope was seated. She realized it was me as she looked up from her desk, and was instantly at a loss for words. I didn't have time for this. I rolled my eyes impatiently and didn't even want to know what was going on in that head of hers. Mediocre human thoughts anyway.

I folded my hands in front of me on the counter and leaned forward to speak to her. "Excuse me, Ms. Cope, but do you think that you could possibly do a favor for me, please?" I waited (edgily, I might add), and gave her my best timid smile.

She nodded eagerly and awaited my next words.

"Great. Well, I was wondering if you could just call down to my sister, Alice's, classroom, so that I could possibly speak with her. It would only be a brief conversation." A moment of silence passed between us. "Would you mind…?" my voice trailed off suggestively.

Ms. Cope laughed nervously. "Oh! Uh, sure, sure!" She started punching numbers in the school phone while shaking her head, thinking to herself about how she was being an idiot.

I turned around and leaned against the counter, my arms across my chest, and waited for Alice to come through the office door.

She came into the room minutes later, her tiny figure dancing her way in.

"Come with me," I said, frustrated, grabbed her hand, and moved outside, so as to have more privacy than we would in the office.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly as soon as we made it out there.

"It's Bella…" I paused. "I-I can't find her. Anywhere…"

"What? Did something happen between you two?" Her brows furrowed confusedly.

"Yes, something happened! She thinks that I _cheated _on her! Why in hell would she think I would do _that_?!" I said, throwing my arms up in the air.

There was silence from Alice.

I turned back to look at my sister. She was standing there, looking guilty for some strange reason. I looked at her skeptically. "Did something happen?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

She was staring down at the ground, twiddling her thumbs again and again. "Alice…" I said warningly and started walking toward her.

"Alice," I repeated, this time more sharply, when she didn't answer.

Her head snapped up to look me in the eyes. If she could cry, it seemed the appropriate time right now that she would be doing just that. "I'm sorry," she apologized quietly and frowned. "I was hoping it wouldn't come true. I was hoping that Mike would just let it-"

"What?! Are you saying that you _saw_ this happening?! Why didn't you _tell _anybody?" I shouted.

"Like I was saying, I was hoping that it wouldn't happen, that Mike would just let it go," she explained.

I sat down on the sidewalk, my head in my hands. "Oh my god," I muttered, shaking my head back and forth. "What am I supposed to do _now_?" I looked up at her. "How am I supposed to get her to believe me?" I ran my hands through my hair nervously. I hadn't been so nervous since Bella was being transformed. If only she _knew_ how much I was in love with her. How much I really cared about her. But she wouldn't know unless I did something. I was going to find her, no matter what it took.

"Alice," I addressed her, "you said you saw this happening, correct?"

She nodded her head.

"Yes, why?"

"So does that also mean that you know why Mike told Bella that I cheated on her? Why he would be prompted to say that? I mean, he wouldn't really say that just to break us up, right? He would only say that if he actually had proof, don't you think?"

Again, she nodded, still frowning. She turned her gaze to the ground once again. I waited for her to answer me verbally, instead of just with her actions.

"He thinks you cheated on her when you were in Alaska. He took off a week of school just to follow you there, to figure out why you would break up with Bella, something he thought that you would never do. Although, how he found you, I have no idea. He saw you with Gabrielle. He was spying on you and saw you hugging her. He automatically thought that you were cheating on her."

I tried breathing evenly, to calm myself, but it wasn't working very well; my rage was getting the best of me. "Alice," I said frustratedly, "why didn't you tell me this sooner?! Maybe then I could have stopped him from saying anything to her…!" I said, enunciating every word. I stood up from the sidewalk and began pacing.

"Are you saying that it's actually_ true_, then?!" I stopped in place and turned sharply to stare at her. "You actually _did_ that?"

"No!" I shouted. "That's what I'm trying to _tell_ you here! I didn't _do_ that, and I called you down here, so that I could find out if you knew where she was, so then I could find her! Do you really not _believe_ me?"

"I believe you, Edward," Alice said softly, laying a small hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, I just… I just had to know if what Mike was saying was really true." She paused. "I'm sorry," she said, hanging her head.

I tilted up her chin to make her look at me. "It's not your fault," I assured her. "It's _mine_. I should have never left her in the first place." I turned around so I couldn't look at her and walked a few paces away.

A moment of silence passed between us. "Now," I said, and turned back to look at her. "Do you know where she is?" I asked calmly.

Alice nodded a few times.

"You _do_?" I said incredulously.

"She's in a hotel room…" She paused. "I'm just not sure _which_ hotel," she said softly, apologetically.

"It's fine, Alice. I'll find her. Remember, I can finally hear her thoughts, so that should help. I'll be able to hear her if I get close. I'll just block out all the other thoughts." I smiled feebly.

"I _do_ know which city, though," Alice perked up. "She's in Tacoma."

Writing Music:

"Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood

"When the Heartache Ends" by Rob Thomas

"The Kill" by 30 Seconds to Mars

"It Ends Tonight" by The All-American Rejects

"This Is How a Heart Breaks" by Rob Thomas

"More Human Than Human" by White Zombie

"Seasons of Love" by the RENT cast

"Hysteria" by Muse

"Unbelievable" by Kaci Brown

"Keep Me Close" by Chris Daughtry

"Let Love In" by Goo Goo Dolls

"Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance

**A/N: sorry, I _was_ planning on making this just a really really long chapter, but, alas, I've decided to break it up and make it a two-parter. Sorry… haha, is this actually a cliffhanger??? -puzzled look- I dunno, but I kinda left it open there, huh? Lol, hope this chapter satisfied you all and left ya wantin' more, but who really knows…? Anyways, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW and I'll love you all forever and be your bestest friend!!!!!!!**

**trina marea **now…if you would just click the pretty little purple button down there, please….


	19. Visitor

**DISCLAIMER: nope. The only things I own are my pen that I wrote the chapter with, my notebook that's pretty much filled with fanfiction stuff, and my prettyful markers…. Hehehe -laughs evilly- oh! And Gabrielle. I own _her_, too. Muahhahahahaha!!!!!!!! -laughs evilly once again- **

**A/N: So, yes, the whore's name is Gabrielle. Haha, I couldn't really think of any better of a name for her so, alas, that is her name. by the way, sorry if any of you reading this right now are named Gabrielle, nothing about your name intended, I just couldn't really think of much of anything better for her…sorry Anyways, sorry that this last chapter took so terribly long to post, I was having troubles with Edward's point of view. Although, I think it may have actually ended up turning out fairly well, of which I'm extremely glad. Anyways, on with the story…! CHAPTER FIFTEEN!!! -squee- **

**P.S. I love you all, my lovely reviewers! **

**P.P.S. for the most part, this chapter will also be in Edward's point of view. Towards the end of it, though, it may turn to either Gabrielle or Bella's point of view. Anywho, enjoy!**

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**Last time…: **

"It's fine, Alice. I'll find her. Remember, I can finally hear her thoughts, so that should help. I'll be able to hear her if I get close. I'll just block out all the other thoughts." I smiled feebly.

"I _do_ know which city, though," Alice perked up. "She's in Tacoma."

**Edward's POV:**

I stared at my beloved sister blankly for a moment or two. "Tacoma." I said the word out loud to get it in my mind. I took a breath and continued. "_Tacoma?!_ Why the _hell_ is she in _Tacoma? _What could she _possibly _be doing _there?!"_ I was shouting and sounding hysterical but I didn't care anymore. My girlfriend—my soul mate—was out there somewhere, thinking that I had cheated on her, which was completely _not true_.

Alice was staring at me in disbelief. "Well _you're_ the one who cheated on her, you idiot! Of course she's going to run away from you! Geez, Edward, sometimes you just be such an ignorant _bastard_! I mean, seriously, don't you ever _think_?!"

"Alice, for the _last time_, I did _not_ cheat on her! Get that through your head, will you?!" I said, getting extremely aggravated at my sister for assuming such ridiculous things. "Whatever Mike said to Bella, I did _not_ do. I repeat, _did not do_… Understand?"

Alice placed her hands on her hips. "Fine," she finally said, defeated, and rolled her eyes. "I'll believe you. I can try to forget that he ever said that. But I still don't like that you actually left her… and don't forget that, Edward," she sneered threateningly and narrowed her eyes at me, then started heading back to the classroom I'd pulled her out of.

"Ugh," I sighed and started rubbing my temples. Doing so, I walked back to my car, so I could head home to tell Esme where I was going, mostly so that she wouldn't wonder about me and worry that I had "run away" from home once again in less than half a year.

I sped back to the house I resided in, walked up to it and through the door. Which is where I found an unwelcome guest sitting on the living room sofa. I stopped dead in my tracks.

She was a beautiful vampire with sandy-blonde hair, golden eyes, and a small figure. She had her arm draped over the back of the sofa, and was wearing a pair of dark blue designer bootleg-styled jeans, a dark red sweater, and was also wearing a pair of black boots—go figure.

"Hello there, Edward," Gabrielle said in a friendly voice as she smiled at me.

I was too shocked to say anything. My keys fell from my hand and to the hard wooden floor, making an ominous sound in the silence. I swear I stopped breathing by her unexpected presence there, in my home.

Gabrielle waited and rose from the couch. "What's the matter, Edward? Where are your _manners_, my dear? No 'Hi, hello, Gabrielle, how have you been lately?' Really, Edward, what's wrong with you today?"

My eyes narrowed at her attitude. "Hi," I snarled, in a very _un_friendly voice. "I see you haven't changed a bit. Still a smug bitch, I see."

"Ouch," she said, pretending to be hurt, as she put a hand to her heart, "that hurts, Edward, coming from you." Her attitude changed abruptly. "I see you're still a heartless ass hole."

I rolled my eyes at her and sighed. "What do you _want_, Gabrielle? I have someplace to be…." I said, getting impatient with her and the childish games she was playing.

"Oh, not much, just thought I'd stop by and visit, seeing as how I was in the neighborhood." She smiled hugely, in a friendly sort of way, but I didn't buy her antics, not for a second.

"And, tell me, how exactly did you come to be 'in the neighborhood'? Especially if you live in Alaska."

"Well…" she dragged out the word and paused for dramatic (as was her specialty… drama) effect and continued, "I just thought I'd come to see how you were…" she said, walking toward me. "Well, that, and also if you'd like to give us another shot," she whispered seductively in my ear, a hand on my chest, as she stood on her tiptoes.

I pushed her away with a hand. "No," I sneered. "I'm with someone else now, understand that, okay?"

"Sure, I can understand that… But don't you want me? We used to have a lot of fun together, don't you remember?" she looked up at me with those big golden eyes, trying to look desirable.

"Yeah. Right," I said sarcastically, and rolled my eyes. "But you know that that wasn't love. Not anywhere _near_ it."

She was nearing me once again, shaking her hips at me in a –what she hoped would be—seductive way as she sauntered over.

"Come on, Edward, you know you want me… _I _know it, and so do you." Gabrielle smiled at me.

I shook my head at her. "No. I _don't_. Now get out of here," I ordered sternly.

She pretended to think about it for a moment. "Hmm… I don't really think I want to do that. Actually, I'd much rather do something else. Something fun… Don't you want to have fun again, Edward?" she asked, and pressed her lips to mind—practically at the speed of light—gently, but somehow at the same time passionately—with need. And desire.

But, unfortunately for Gabrielle, I didn't have feelings for her. Not in the _least_. And that's the way it was going to stay.

She was brushing her tongue up against my lips, want to enter my mouth, but I flat-out _refused_ to let her in there. I instead placed my hands on her shoulders and pushed her away from me. She stumbled backward a little, startled by my actions.

There was a look of shock and bewilderment all mixed into one on that face of hers.

I, on the other hand, held an expression of extreme fury, and hatred. Hatred toward Gabrielle, toward what she had just done.

I couldn't help it. I admit it: I lost it. All of my sensibility, my calm manner, my sanity—everything—I lost it. I had officially lost it all, and now I'd snapped.

"Get. Out. Now," I ordered, furious, pointing to the front door of the house.

"But, Edward, I just wanted-"

"Out!" I interrupted, still pointing.

"Edward, please, just-"

"No! Now! Get the hell out of my house!"

"Just listen to what I have to say, plea-"

That was it. I walked over to her, grabbed her arm tightly, steered her toward the door, and started walking the both of us toward it.

But Gabrielle planted her feet firmly on the ground, protesting.

I growled at her, narrowing my eyes. It was now obvious that she wasn't going to make this easy.

Gabrielle momentarily narrowed her eyes right back at me. "Please," she said in a kind tone that _sounded _innocent enough. "Just hear me out."

After a moment, I responded. "Fine," I said exasperatedly. "For starters, what are you doing here? Do you have an actual reason, or are you going to stick with 'I was just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by'?" I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for her answer.

"Well…no, I wasn't _really_ in the neighborhood. I just really want to see you." She paused. "Don't you want to see me…?" she asked in a small voice, batting her eyelashes at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, but, not really, no. Especially not since _you're_ the reason that Bella left."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed at me in response, devious. "Edward," she scolded. "Are you _really sure_ that you want to blame this on _moi_?" She put a hand to her chest as she said this. "If I'm not mistaken, you _are _the one who left her three months ago. It only makes sense that she would think that there was someone else. Isn't that the only way that you would leave her? Is if there was someone else, I mean?" She cocked her head to the side.

Her fake innocence was annoying. She was a part of this, too, and she should take responsibility for her actions, whatever they may be. The fact that I hadn't cheated on Bella _before_ was true, but now it wasn't, even if what had just happened had been involuntary. On my part, at least.

"Gabrielle, I don't think that-"

"That's right, Edward, you _don't _think," she said, walking toward me. "If you _did_ think, you would have never left your 'true love' in the first place." She was mocking me, questioning my love for my Bella.

Suddenly I had an epiphany. She knew what happened between the both of us when I was in Alaska. Maybe she could help me with something, then.

I immediately forgot about even responding to her remark and said something else to her instead.

"Hey Gabrielle…" I addressed her. She stared at me, waiting. "Do you think you could do something for me…?" I asked, desperately hoping this would work.

---

Songs For Writing:

"Heaven Let Your Light Shine Down" by Collective Soul

"Say It Right" by Nelly Furtado

"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arm's Race" by Fall Out Boy

"I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by High School Musical Cast

"Everything" by Pacifier

"Hate Me" by Blue October

"Look After You" by The Fray

"No Such Thing" by John Mayer

"Pretty Girl (The Way)" by Sugarcult

"Papercut" by Linkin Park

"It's Not Over" by Chris Daughtry

"Empty Room" by Marjorie Fair

"Face Down" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

**A/N: Sorry, it's sorta a cliffie… but, whatever, at least I finally finished the chapter, right? Yes, I _did_!!!! Go me!!! lol anyways, hope you all liked it… -crosses fingers- as always…REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! Thank ya much!!!**


	20. Favor

**DISCLAIMER: do I _really_ have to explain this _again_??? Don't own it peoples, Steph Meyer does… you should know that by now… I only own Gabrielle… hehehe lol**

**A/N: hello, there peoples!!! Looky, I'm writing the next chapter!!! Go me!!! Lol, hope you like it!!! Goody, goody, gumdrops, I can not _wait_ for _Eclipse_ to be released…! Ahh! -dances around due to uncontainable excitement- lol buh bye, now!!! CHAPTER SIXTEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**p.s. sorry I haven't updated for a few weeks now, it was because I had to do three papers for school and they were all due on the same day… dang teachers… -scoffs- **

**Last Time:**

"Hey Gabrielle…" I addressed her. She stared at me, waiting. "Do you think you could do something for me…?" I asked, desperately hoping this would work.

**Edward's POV:**

"And what might that be…?" Gabrielle asked, putting a hand on one of her hips.

"Well…" I said cautiously, "I was hoping that, since you know what happened while I was in Alaska… that maybe you could speak to Bella about it?" I looked at her expectantly.

She cocked her head to the side and looked at me like I was insane. "Let me get this straight. _You_ want _me_ to try to convince _your_ girlfriend that nothing happened between _you _and _me_ while _you_ ran off to visit some old family _friends_ while _you _were in _Alaska_? Is that right?"

Wow, she could really put a lot of emphasis on those words of hers…. "Well, yes." I paused for a moment. "So… will you do it? Please?"

"What's in it for me?" she asked skeptically. "What do _I_ get out of it?"

"Honestly, Gabrielle, do you _really_ need to benefit from everything?" I chided, my patience waning on me.

She seemed to think about it for a moment. "Fine. I _suppose_ I could try to help you…" she agreed exasperatedly, putting her hands on her hips.

I was overcome with an immense amount of feeling of gratitude toward Gabrielle.

It took all I had not to go jumping for joy and running up to hug the heck out of her.

Instead, I stood there, with a huge grin plastered on my face. "You will?" I asked incredulously, unable to believe that Gabrielle would actually _agree_ to something someone had asked of her to do for someone else. She almost _never_ did favors. For _anyone_. If she ever _did_, it was practically a once in a century occurrence.

"Sure…" she said, boredom obvious in her tone as she rolled her eyes at me. "So what do we do, then?"

It was amazing that she was cooperating, but I supposed I didn't have much time to waste. Bella might _never_ forgive me again if I took an extremely long time.

"Well, I'm not completely sure," I said slowly, choosing my words carefully, baffled. "But I do have a theory, though." I started pacing involuntarily. "Alice has already told me that she knew where Bella was, that she was in Tacoma. And so I was thinking that we could drive over there, find the hotel that she's staying at, and then you could talk with her about this whole misunderstanding."

That's all it was, just a misunderstanding, nothing more. I would never—_could _never—do something as preposterous as _cheat_ on _Bella_. It was insane to even _imagine_ doing something along those lines.

Either way, though, I figured that we had better move quick.

"Come on," I ordered, walking over to the front door of the house. "Let's go."

Gabrielle stopped me by reaching toward me and grabbing my arm before I could go any further.

What was she doing? Bella's out there, in some lonely hotel room, and who even really knew if she would try to run again? Why was Gabrielle wasting time? Why was she trying to put off my finding Bella?

"Let's just get something straight here first, okay, mister? I only said that I would _try_ to help get her back for you, kay? I didn't say that would actually _work_, I only said _try_. So don't go freaking out on me if this doesn't actually work, got it? Are we clear?" Gabrielle was staring at me intently, her eyes boring into mine, trying to make me understand.

I nodded a few times, my lips forming one solid line. "We're clear."

She let go of my arm, releasing me to my freedom. "Good." She nodded, her face wearing the same expression as my own. "Now," she said, her lips cracking into the tiniest hint of a smile, while she attempted to remain businesslike at the same time, "let's go find this girlfriend of yours, shall we?" She walked out the front door, brushing right past me.

I sighed as I followed behind. Some things would never change between Gabrielle and me, no matter how much time had passed.

I jumped into my Volvo and sped off toward Tacoma, hoping against all hope that Bella would listen to what Gabrielle had to say to her.

---

Da music:

"Over You" by Chris Daughtry

"Beautiful Disaster" by Kelly Clarkson

"Never Said Anything" by Steven Strait

"Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" by Fuel

"Too Much Too Soon" by Llama

"Overweight" by Blue October

"In Another Life" by Ashlee Simpson

"I Am Me" by Ashlee Simpson

"From Yesterday" by 30 Seconds to Mars

"Hurt" by Christina Aguilera

"A Lack of Color" by Death Cab for Cutie

"All These Lives" by Chris Daughtry

"Buckets for Bullet Wounds" by House of Heroes

"Make a Face Like You Mean It (Vampires)" by House of Heroes

**A/N: yup, that's the end of this chapter. But don't get mad at me or anything, it was just really necessary to cut it off right here, even though it made it a pretty short chapter, but whatever. It was what was right. Don't worry though, I should have the SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER up sooner than this one was updated, because of the fact that now it's winter break, so that's good. Hope you liked this chapter, anyways, even though it was short and more of a filler chapter**….


	21. Findings and Introductions

A/N: hey guys, I'm back! and how are all of my lovely reviewers out there lately? Good, I hope… So I had a dentist appointment the other day and they had to give me three fillings because I apparently had three cavities all right next to each other so I had to keep my mouth open for like an hour or so and I had already had a sore throat earlier in the week and still did and so then it was even worse so I stayed home from school on Thursday because the dentist was Wednesday… so I was happy about that that I got to stay home… lol… so, yeah, don't listen to me up here, I'm basically just a rambling little weirdo over here…

DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, not I. All I own is my notebook filled with messy-looking chapters, my favorite blue pen that I use all the time to write down said messy-looking chapters, and Gabrielle, whom of which I can make do anything I want her to (muahhahahahaha…) Also don't own any other movies or such that are referenced in this chapter either. (Let's see if you can find it, eh…?)

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Edward's POV:

Gabrielle and I were in Tacoma now and, needless to say, I now remembered why the two of us should never be around each other for more than four minutes.

_Why four?_ you ask… Because we get on each others' nerves if we're by each other for any amount of time longer than that.

A pure example of this would definitely be the ride here. I was driving much faster than usual, due to the absolute horribleness of the drive. I swear, this was my own personal hellhole. And, yes, it really _was_ that bad. You have no idea.

It all started when we got in the car. Gabrielle listened to the classical piece of music that was playing on a CD in the player for about a millisecond, grunted, decided that she absolutely detested it, and threw it out the window, sending it shattering into a thousand little pieces on the driveway.

While she was doing this, I was simultaneously doing other things. I was listening to the music, of course, as I started up the engine of my silver Volvo, glanced over—so that I could reverse the car, making sure that nothing was in my way—at the passenger's side mirror, just in time to see Gabrielle throwing out the CD. As she did this, I did a quick reach for it, but it was too late—the disc was already ruined. I just about wanted to kill Gabrielle just then.

_Why? Why_ did she feel the need to destroy one of my favorite CD's? It was almost a one-of-a-kind copy of it! You can't find it _anywhere_ these days.

I did my best to calm myself down by trying to think this through. I suddenly had an epiphany. _Hmm…_I thought as I backed out of the driveway and sped off toward Tacoma, _perhaps Carlisle knows someone who can get me another copy of that particular disc…_ There. _That_ calmed me down a bit, just that one thought. That is, it calmed me down until what I heard next.

At first, everything was fine. I had calmed myself down with that one thought. But then Gabrielle started lecturing me about my choices of music as she flipped through my CD collection that I kept in my car. When she figured she was finished with that, she started searching radio stations for a song that she actually liked. Apparently, nothing was decent enough for her.

She was complaining first about my choice of music that I had pre-set so that I could eliminate the problem of never being able to listen to something good. But when she came to the conclusion that none of the songs on the pre-set stations were good enough for her, she went off into a tangent about how "no one made good music anymore," as she searched other non-pre-set stations.

I just about wanted to slap her when she actually _changed_ my pre-set stations, one of them being rap and another being country. No, no, _no_. None of that wangy-twangy or sexist crap for me, thank you very much, Gabrielle, you weirdo.

Gabrielle started up a conversation—after she settled on a station playing Jay-Z—about movies. It was really more of a one-sided conversation, though, considering the fact that all I ever did was contribute grunting noises in appropriate places, nod my head—which I really don't think she noticed, being far too involved in hearing herself talk—and tell her what the last movie I'd seen in the theaters was, which was I don't even know _how_ _long_ ago.

I ended up telling her that it was "Pearl Harbor," in 2001, just to get her off my back and for her to stop talking and finally leave me alone. I guess that this was what I got for leaving Bella all those months ago; this was _pure torture._ I thanked any god out there that we were now in Tacoma, due to my speed-demon-like driving.

I'd written down the names and addresses of hotels in Tacoma, in hope that one of them would reunite me with my Bella.

Gabrielle got out of the car at our first stop: the Courtyard by Mariott. I saw her go in, speak to the desk clerk, and then come back out to the car, shaking her head in response to my unspoken question of whether Bella was in there or not.

It went on like this for the next few hotels we stopped at; The Sheraton, Extended Stay America, Days Inn, La Quinta… none of them were where Bella was staying.

I was thinking of giving up when we stopped at Shilo Inn on Hosmer Street, right off the freeway. I watched Gabrielle enter the hotel and then started rubbing my temples as I closed my eyes. The next thing I saw as I looked once more inside the inn was just the desk clerk, no Gabrielle.

Oh my god. Had we finally found her, after all of this driving around?

And then, as I intently listened to others' thoughts… I heard it. I heard _her_. Bella.

We _did_; we found her finally and now Gabrielle could talk to her and tell her what a huge misunderstanding all of this was. It would work.

Hopefully.

---

Bella's POV:

As I heard a soft knock on my hotel room door, I dragged myself up from the bed I had been laying/moping on for what seemed like ages but had in all actuality only been a few short hours.

"Who is it?" I called in a weak voice as I walked toward the door.

All that I heard was a small "umm…" so I looked through the small hole in the door. A woman was standing there, beautiful and blonde.

Skeptical but all-the-while curious, I opened the door.

_Good, she actually opened it for me,_ I caught her thoughts.

What did she mean by _that_? Should I not have opened it for her?

The blonde woman looked me up and down. _So this is Bella, then._ Her thoughts paused. _Wow, she's gorgeous. No wonder Edward wants her back._

What in the world was she _talking _about? If Edward _cheated _on me, then why would he supposedly want me _back?_

"Come on in…" I invited her, maybe going against my better judgement, as I opened the door more.

She smiled at me and walked into the hotel room. "Hi. I'm Gabrielle," she greeted me, and stuck her hand out at me.

"Bella," I introduced myself—even though it seemed she already knew who I was—and shook her outstretched hand. I was still highly skeptical as to why she was here, though. And how did she know about Edward and me?

And then suddenly realization hit me. This was the whore, and now she was trying to make nice with me. _Bitch,_ I scoffed.

She must have noticed I was glaring at her, because the next thing she did was put her hands up defensively in front of her, and said, "Look, just hear me out, okay? Please."

I crossed my arms across my chest and waited impatiently for her to continue.

Gabrielle breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, good." She paused for a split second. "You have to understand some things, okay? Edward _never_ cheated on you. Especially not with me, or anyone else in the world." She looked at me expectantly. "Okay? Do you understand?" she asked hopefully.

I was… confused, to say the least. What in the world was she _talking_ about, and was I _really_ supposed to _believe her?_ Of all people, was I really supposed to believe this… this _Gabrielle,_ who I had only known not even two minutes yet?

All I could do was attempt to sputter out a jumble of words. "But-but Mike said-"

"Who the hell is the _Mike_ everyone keeps talking about?!"

"The one who told me…" I responded, staring at the carpeted floor. I saw Gabrielle nod her head.

I shook mine out and spoke slowly, looking her straight in the eye. "If what you're saying is actually true… then can I have proof, maybe?"

"You want proof?" she clarified, smiling. I nodded. "Come here," she said, grabbing my arm and leading me to the bed to sit me down so that I was facing her.

"Look. Edward loves you. Much more than you may even realize and much more than anything or any_one_ in this world." She stood up and started pacing back and forth, then stopped. "Bella, there's a history here that you know _nothing about,_" she told me, looking at me intently. I waited for her to keep going, desperately wanting to know what was going on here.

---

La Musique:

The "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack

The "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" soundtrack

"Overweight" by Blue October

"The Woman In Me" by Shania Twain

"Straightjacket Feeling" by The All-American Rejects

"Time Stands Still" by The All-American Rejects

"Save Yourself" by Stabbing Westward

"All Hail the Heartbreaker" by The Spill Canvas

"A Lack of Color" by Death Cab For Cutie

"I Can Feel You All Around Me" by Flyleaf

"Hero/Heroine" by Boys Like Girls

"Skeptics and True Believers" by The Academy Is…

"Take a Look at My Girlfriend" by Gym Class Heroes feat. Patrick Stump

"Where Is Your Boy Tonight?" by Fall Out Boy

A/N: Anyone recognize the last line Gabrielle had there? It's from "The Count of Monte Cristo"! When Edmond says to his son Albert (played by the oh-so sexy Henry Cavill -swoon- lol ) that line toward the last fifteen (more or less) minutes of the movie. I wrote Gabrielle's line here without really even realizing what I was making her say… lol ….

Anyways, hope you liked this chapter and next time is the history of Edward and Gabrielle!! So, stay tuned for next week's episode of "Hope For a New Love—The Story of Edward, Bella, and the Others in Their Lives"!! -says in TV announcer voice- Bye!

P.S. The next chapter won't really be released as early as next week, it'll probably be updated _this week……_ YAY!!!!!!!!

Oh, and, as always REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! Pretty please…? -puppy dog eyes- love you all!!

Just a little side note… Who else likes the names Christian and Aiden? -raises hand- ME!!!!!!! lol

Oh, and if anyone has any questions, I'm in the process of making a FAQ for my profile about this story, so submit them if you like:)


	22. A History

**A/N: I've seriously been swamped with homework lately since school started back up again so I've had just about _no time at all_ to write, which is pretty depressing… lol **

**Thanks to all who reviewed, namely: **_Asquared91, , ridiculouskopec, losingmyfaith, Infatuated Passion,_ _Kraseevyev naezdnyk motosyk, pinkfroggy, Dare to Love, I-love-twilight-and-paramore_……..

P.S. I'd really like at least 200 REVIEWS by the time I'm done with this story, which, sadly is probably going to be in about 2-3 more chapters… :( Sorry, just can't think of much else to write for this story, unless someone gives me some ideas for like a sequel or something, but you won't be able to think of something until I'm done with the story, because it ends some amount of years later… yeah…

P.S.S. Anyone seen the trailer for "Blood and Chocolate" on the tube lately? I started seeing it the other day and I'm so excited now:D I saw the trailer on the internet a month or so ago, but I'm excited that I'm seein it on the tv now… lol

**DISCLAIMER: yup, really,** _really_ **don't remember ever writing** _Twilight_ **OR** _New Moon_, **so Icky Lawyers, you can just go away now, k thx**

**Here we go, CHAPTER 18!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!**

---

Previously:

"You want proof?" she clarified, smiling. I nodded. "Come here," she said, grabbing my arm and leading me to the bed to sit me down so that I was facing her.

"Look. Edward loves you. Much more than you may even realize and much more than anything or any_one_ in this world." She stood up and started pacing back and forth, then stopped. "Bella, there's a history here that you know _nothing about,_" she told me, looking at me intently. I waited for her to keep going, desperately wanting to know what was going on here.

Bella's POV:

I braced myself for the blow. A _history?_ What kind of "history" could the two of _them_ possibly have?! This doesn't make any god dang _sense_…!

I sat there, staring at her, trying to breathe evenly. Hesitantly, I asked the one question that definitely needed to be asked. "Umm… what… _kind_ of 'history,' exactly?" I asked, staring down at my enfolded hands. I took a deep, shaky breath and slowly averted my eyes to hers, raising my eyebrows.

If she could blush, she would have right then. Gabrielle gave me a nervous smile and then brought a chair over so that she could sit near me, at the foot of the hotel bed.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find the right words to say, before finally settling on them.

Gabrielle gave me another nervous smile, and then started. "You know, I'd really not given much thought to how my love life would turn out." She smiled again, and took in a shaky breath. I looked at her skeptically. She ran a hand through her long blond hair. "I didn't ever think that I would end up alone, you know?" She looked at me, and for the first time since I'd met her—which, granted, had only been about five minutes, but still—I didn't see what I'd seen before. There was no prissiness, no bitchiness, no conceitedness anywhere in that face of hers that I saw now. Maybe I really _had_ misjudged her. Maybe she really wasn't the home-wrecking, boyfriend-stealing whore that I thought she was.

"I guess the best place to start would be the beginning, right?" Gabrielle absentmindedly stood from her seat in the chair and walked over to the window to stare out of it. "I was born in 1923 in Rockland, Maine, just off the coast. I was the only daughter of my parents, but had three brothers, two older and one younger.

"We were a happy family, we really were. My parents were very wealthy, so my siblings and I got basically anything we ever asked for. It was wonderful, really it was, but I never really felt like I belonged with them. My parents fought all the time, but usually only over little things. Well, one day, my father decided that he had had enough of my mother and left him. He gave my brothers and me the choice of either staying with our mother or else going to live with him. All of us chose to stay with our mother, though. All of our friends were here and we couldn't bare it if we had to say goodbye to them. So we stayed.

"You see, um, mom was an alcoholic by the time I was thirteen. I guess you could say that my dad drove her to it, but that wasn't the way that _I_ ever saw it. She would pick fights with dad all the time—just over little things, most of the time—and the only way she could think to deal with it was drinking. And it wasn't just small amounts of alcohol, either, but more like _massive_."

I was gazing at Gabrielle in awe by this point. I couldn't believe that she was already spilling the whole contents of her life to me, someone she'd known for only about ten minutes, give or take. I couldn't help but stare at her as she continued.

"I was scared senseless, and had no idea what to do. So, I ran. I ran away to a park about a mile from my home. It was juvenile, but I did it anyway. I couldn't stand being around everyone at home. My mom was always drunk—even more than before—and my brothers were always bugging me. The place was chaos, since my mom couldn't keep my brothers in control. I just needed to go someplace that was… quiet. At least then I could be _alone_. I went to that park a lot, whenever things were getting really bad at home. Well, I'm sure you can guess what happened next."

There was a long pause in Gabrielle's speech. Neither of us said anything for about four minutes, me just sitting on the bed and Gabrielle still standing over by the window.

I heard Gabrielle take in a deep, shallow breath, the kind that you inhale when you're crying, or else about to. Wow, was she _actually_ about to cry?! Not that she could, even if she tried, but still.

"I was… nineteen when I was changed," Gabrielle continued. "I was… at the park, that same park that I went to _all the time_. I don't understand why it had to be _me_, and that particular night. I could never make any sense of the situation. I shouldn't have been put into that kind of situation, you know? I mean, at least _you_ were changed out of something as spectacular as _love_. My transformation was all because some guy couldn't hold off his thirst any longer.

"It wasn't supposed to go like this. You know? I… had plans. I was going to go to school in the fall, at a really great university. And it was far enough away from home that I could live on campus, leaving all of my family troubles at home.

"Unfortunately, it didn't work that way, as you can clearly see," she added bitterly.

I wasn't sure if it would be all right to interrupt her when she was on such a roll here, so I decided to keep my mouth shut instead of saying anything.

There was suddenly a slight change of mood in Gabrielle that I couldn't quite explain.

"You… know that Rosalie was meant for Edward, right?" she asked, abruptly turning her head to look at me. I nodded in response. Gabrielle went back to staring out the window. "Yeah… Well, there's something else you don't know about him, though." She paused. "Edward and I… we… had a… a thing," she stuttered, trying to find the courage to tell me.

I just stared at her, truly speechless. What was she talking about?! Edward said the first time in the meadow that he'd never felt this way before; that he'd never been in love. Was Gabrielle lying to me? She could very well be doing just that, seeing as how she barely knew me at all. It's very possible that she could think I was the gullible type of person, just falling for anything that someone says, without even asking for proof of how they know. But I'm not, and I am _not_ going to fall for her scheme.

"You're lying!" I criticized her, standing up from the bed, and walking a few steps toward her. "Edward's never been in love before! That's what he said the first time he said that he loved me out loud…! So don't go lying to me, it's not going to work!"

"Bella, please, I'm telling you the truth. I _swear_. Honest." She stared me straight in the eye, not looking away.

I searched her eyes with my own, trying to detect any hint of deception. But I couldn't find any there; I decided to give up on that.

I huffed and sat back down on the bed, my arms crossed over my chest, eyes staring at the floor, trying to think clearly. My thoughts were all jumbled inside of my head. It was annoying, to say the least.

"I wouldn't lie to you about this," Gabrielle told me softly. "You have to believe me, okay?" She paused. "Look, it was years ago. It was before you were even born, actually." I looked at her sideways. "Edward and his family were visiting in Alaska, and he and I… became friends. Edward and I started hanging out a lot, and that's when it turned into something else.

"Truth be told, it wasn't love. It wasn't even close, actually. Not to go into detail or anything, all we ever did with each other was mostly kiss. And when I say 'mostly,' that is to say that there was… well, there was… _touching_ involved. I'll just say that, although, now thinking of it, that probably is worse than what you were imagining. Oh just forget I said anything about that, okay? Oh jeez, I'm babbling, I'm just going to shut up now." Gabrielle slapped her forehead and averted her eyes to anywhere but me.

I just stared at her. She _was_ right. It was much worse than what I had been imagining the two of them doing. It made me shudder. Ugh.

I opened my mouth a few times to speak, but kept shutting it, trying to find the right words.

"So then," I started, "what you're saying is that you never had, umm… _sex_ with him, then…?"

Gabrielle laughed nervously, smiling. "No, I didn't," she said in between giggles.

Well that's a relief.

After a few seconds she opened her mouth to speak again, staring down at her hands. "Have you ever done that… with him? Or anyone, for that matter?"

I stared at her and had to let out a laugh. "Um, no," I replied, looking anywhere but at Gabrielle. _And you won't ever get to if you never forgive him, you idiot…_my inner voice told me.

"Well then I just have one more question for you, Bella," Gabrielle said, looking at me seriously.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Are you ready to forgive him yet?"

I just stared at her, and seriously thought about it. What had he really done here to regain my trust? Nothing at all, that's what. He was taking the easy way out in bringing Gabrielle here to talk to me.

I ushered Gabrielle to the door and opened it for her. There was a confused look on her face as I did this; she was completely clueless.

"No," I said as I gently led her out into the hall, "I don't."

"But I don't under-"

"Tell him to come and find me when he's not such a coward." And then I shut the door on her, along with my old life.

---

Chapter Songs:

"Cat and Mouse" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

"Just Like You" by Three Days Grace

"From Yesterday" by 30 Seconds to Mars

"For Good" from _Wicked_

"If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback

"The Weakness in Me" by Joan Armatrading

"Some People" by LeAnn Rimes

"Your Song" by Christian in _Moulin Rouge_

"Unbelievable" by Kaci Brown

"All Hail the Heartbreaker" by The Spill Canvas

"Against All Odds" by Phil Collins

"Time" by Chantal Kreviazuk

"All These Lives" by Chris Daughtry

"The Night Will Go As Follows" by The Spill Canvas

A/N: so… whaddya think??? Please tell me, I'd really like to improve any way I can. And also, if you ever have any questions, ask them in a review because I'm planning on doing a FAQ for this story, but only if there are enough of the questions, or else it's not really worth doing it.

Either way, though, REVIEW PLEASE…! K? k. Yeah, it's just that I'd really like to have at LEAST 200 reviews by the time I'm done with this story, which should be in a few more chapters, sorry : ( Yeah, it's really sad, but it's a problem when you can't really come up with anything else to write about.

If anyone has any ideas for a sequel, perhaps, please, do tell, because that'd be the coolest thing. : ) But, don't worry, though, because I have ideas for a lot of things just popping into my mind a lot lately. For instance, there's my collections of one-shots, and a whole other story that'll be in an AU (a.k.a. Alternate Universe, for those who may not know…)

Anywho, hope you liked the 18th chapter,

REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, ALONG WITH CRITICISM. : )

K thx. Buh bye now,

trinatwilight11


	23. Mumbles

**A/N:** Oh, jeez, everyone, that is the most reviews I've ever gotten on a chapter before. Thank you, thank you, thank you! lol And also, I've finally hit the 200 mark for my reviews on this story. YAY! I'm so excited, I finally have the new Fall Out Boy CD in my hands, after waiting for months and months for it to be released, YAY!!! lol

P.S. The reason this is coming in so late is because I've had so little time to work on it lately, I've really been swamped with homework and it sucks.

**DISCLAIMER:** don't own anything, so please don't sue me in saying that I _did_ say I did… did that make sense?!

**Here we go, CHAPTER 19:)**

**Bella's POV:**

Oh my god, what have I just done?

I leaned my back against the door, feeling as though I was about to hyperventilate. I tried to breathe evenly, which turned out to be a failed attempt. I felt like I could cry right at that moment in time.

It was true, I did still love Edward more than anything in the entire universe, but I wasn't ready to forgive him just yet. He'd hurt me, and it was one thing to forget, but a whole other matter to forgive. And I couldn't do that, not yet anyway.

I heard Gabrielle's footsteps. She was deciding to leave, to go back to Edward—at least, that's what I was guessing.

How could I have just ruined everything? How could I have just ruined everything my life had been building up to? _How?_

I was sobbing now, thinking about all the things that had just happened to me in the course of only about ten minutes or so. I reached my hand up to wipe away the tears, only to realize that they would never fall, not now, not ever. This only added to my sorrow, making me sob even more, realizing that there are no take-backs in life. I couldn't take back my wish to become what _he_ was, I couldn't take back _anything_. I should have known better. _I should have known better._

I went back to the same place I had been in before Gabrielle had arrived, crouched in the fetal position, laying once again on the bed, sobbing my heart out.

I tried to convince myself that I hated Edward, but found that I couldn't, not even in my time of complete and total sorrow. Which, in turn, made me want to hate him even more.

**Edward's POV:**

I watched as Gabrielle strode out of the hotel. I waited for another minute to see if anyone was following, namely Bella. But I never saw her come out.

Internally, I screamed at myself. I should have _known_ this wasn't going to work! God, I am so _stupid!_

Aggravated, I slammed my fist down on the car's steering wheel and groaned. I leaned my forehead against my hands, and starting knocking it against them repeatedly, as some do to walls. Perhaps it was a bad idea to get Gabrielle involved in this whole charade, but then again, wasn't she already involved?

I must not have even heard the car door opening, considering the fact that the next thing I _did_ hear scared the hell out of me. "Rough day?" Gabrielle asked me, smiling a little, on the verge of bursting out laughing at me.

I turned my head—which was still on my hands—so that I could look at her. "You think?" I replied dryly. I turned my head so that I could look out the driver's side window. It was easier to ask what I was going to next if I weren't looking at her. "So," I asked, "where's Bella, then?" even though I already knew the answer. She wasn't coming, and she wasn't going to anytime soon, either.

She wasn't coming.

Gabrielle didn't answer. I turned my head once again to take a look at her. The smirk was wiped off her face as it fell. She averted her eyes from mine, staring at the floor of the car. "Umm, actually… she's… not coming. I'm so sorry," she whispered.

I groaned and once again turned my head, but this time so that I could stare at the line my legs made when they were right next to each other. "What happened?" I mumbled in my agony. I stole a glance over at Gabrielle. She was still staring at the floor.

"Well, you see, I tried to convince her that you never cheated on her with me or anyone else, and I think she believed me about that, but then it's like she changed her mind or something about the whole forgiveness thing. She basically said that you were a huge coward and idiot, because of the fact that you made me go up there instead of doing it yourself. I don't know, I'm actually kind of baffled by it myself. I really thought she would forgive you, but I guess not…."

I groaned for a moment, before feeling like I just wanted to fall off the face of the earth. And maybe I should. If there's no Bella, then there's no reason for living, even if she _is_ still alive. She was always the most stubborn person I knew, and it didn't seem like I could get her to let her guard down any time soon. I really don't think she's going to forgive me, not now, not ever.

But then… maybe there _is_ still hope…

**The Music!**

"Say the Word" by The Classic Crime

"All the Memories" by The Classic Crime

"Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift

"Hate (I Really Don't Like You)" by Plain White T's

"Brain Stew" by Green Day

"What You Wish For" by Guster

"Phantom Limb" by The Shins

"Creeps Me Out" by Ima Robot

"Lean On Me" by Club Nouveau

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears

"Hey Now (Don't Dream It's Over)" by Crowded House

**A/N: ** 'Ello all my loverlies!! And how are you all on this fiiiiiine Tuesday evening…? Well, anyways, hope you liked the latest chapter, I should have the next one up soon, and, sadly, it'll be the last chapter. Not much else to write, now is there??? Nope, which is a very disappointing concept to take in. Ugh. –tear- I shall leave you now, so that I can 1.) start on my homework, and 2.) start on the next chapter, also.

**P.S. ** Be on the look out for my new fanfiction, which is my collection of one-shots. And as soon as I'm done with _this _story, then I can start on one of my new fanfic ideas, and those are all actual stories. So I shall work on those in the meantime, have fun reading, everybody!

trinatwilight11


	24. Your Presence

**A/N: **omg, last chapter. -- I'm so sad now. I almost don't really _wanna _write this chapter, because of my fear that this story may just be forgotten. But at the same time, I _do_ want to end it, in order for me to get into my next stories. I think I have about 2 or 3 fanfiction story ideas, and then a collection of one-shots. So, yeah… Let's get on with it now, k? K… -tear-

**DISCLAIMER: **Ahem, do I _look_ like Stephenie Meyer…? No. I don't. Sorry, I really don't own the rights to _Twilight_ nor _New Moon. _Sadly. Very sadly. It's very sad that I don't own them, on account of the fact that I would definitely _love_ to own them, but I don't so there's not really much I can do about that, now is there? No. Ugh. lol

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Bella's POV:**

It's been twenty-six years since I've been changed into a vampire, twenty-six years of getting used to the constant scratching in my throat which indicated the thirst, twenty-six years without a family, without Edward, just… alone. It was twenty-six years of waiting for my heart to finally heal; and to this day, it still hasn't.

I'd stayed in Tacoma for a good five years before finally deciding that I would need to move. People would start to get suspicious of what I was had I stayed there any longer. From there, I had moved on to Spokane… Everett… Port Angeles… Goldendale…Bellevue…. I tried to find anything, _anything_, just as long as I could stay in Washington. I couldn't _bear_ it if I moved out of the state, the place where I first met Edward and fell in love with him, all before it turned into a disaster, before Charlie died…

It had only happened a number of days ago. Charlie was confronting me, once again, about my appearance. And for the millionth time, I told him it was nothing, brushed it off nonchalantly. I would have thought that since I had moved away that Charlie would finally let up on the subject, but it proved to have failed.

We were screaming at each other, standing in the kitchen of his house, Charlie was lecturing me once again about why I wasn't changing, just staying the same. Of course, I could never tell him, he would never in a million years believe me; he'd just end up sending me to the insane asylum.

Once, about seven years after I was changed, I was on the phone with Charlie when he demanded that I come and see him; I hadn't seen him since that one day when I also saw Billy and Jacob Black in the house, right after I was changed. Charlie was extremely suspicious about my appearance, which, in turn, he _should_ be concerned about; he knew Renée, knew how she had aged, so why _shouldn't_ he be alarmed about my looks?

I remember when he asked me the strangest question I had ever heard asked in my presence.

"Bella, what have you done to yourself? Have you been getting plastic surgery or something?" Charlie stared me down, waiting for an answer.

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously.

"Are you getting plastic surgery?" he asked, enunciating each and every word.

I rolled my eyes. _Yes, Charlie, that's exactly what's going on with me. Yeah, I've just been very insecure about my looks lately, and so I finally decided to do something about it. Yes, that is precisely what's happened to me. And, see? It worked! I have so much more self-esteem in me now... _

Psh, yeah right.

Although, it _would_ be a much better explanation than _I_ could ever come up with, so I simply sighed and said, "Yes," looking him straight in the eye.

Of course, only a few days ago, practically the same conversation came up once again. Charlie was looking like hell. He'd been having some health problems in the past eight years or so, going into the hospital every once in a while, whether it was for check-ups or other various reasons, such as having a heart attack or something of the sort.

I tried to convince him once again that it was just the plastic surgery, but he couldn't be fooled that many times, now could he? Even so, I tried to convince him all the same. And I'd been failing at it. I told him to drop it, and he flipped out. I could see his face turning red, but thought nothing of it. He just kept yelling at me, and I would reply to him in screams.

"Whatever, I'm leaving," I said straight to his face, in a normal voice, and started walking to the front door of the his home. And that's when I heard it. Something crashing to the floor.

More specifically, _Charlie_ crashing to the floor. I paused mid-step next to the door, and slowly turned my head, completely scared. _What happened?_ I thought before striding over to where I'd been standing only a moment before. And that's where I saw him. It was Charlie, lying on the white linoleum floor of the kitchen, gasping for air.

Terrified, I kneeled down to the floor, next to my father, I myself also breathing hard.

"Dad?" I asked shakily. "Oh my god, Charlie, are you okay?!"

Even more terrified, I leaned down to hear his heartbeat, only to find that it was beating _way_ faster than it should be. I frantically scooped his body in my arms and brought him to the hospital to be analyzed, breaking the speed limit the entire way there. But honestly, I couldn't care less; my father was _dying_ and I desperately needed someone to help him.

I brought him inside the hospital and waited anxiously in the waiting room, which was next to the nurses' station. I sat there until the doctor came out about a half an hour later, walking toward me, with a grim look on his face. My stomach lurched.

The doctor placed his hands in the front pockets of his white coat and looked to the floor as he sighed. I think I had been expecting it all along, but I wanted to hear it coming from him, all the same. "I, um… what-what happened to him…?" I asked softly and looked up at the doctor.

His mouth moved a couple times, as if he were about to say something, but stopped before he did. He sat down in the chair next to me and finally settled on the right words after a moment. "He… he had a heart attack." I looked over at him, my face a blank façade. "And he… well, he-"

"He died. It's okay, I get it. He couldn't live forever, now could he?" I mused, and smiled a bit before noticing the irony of my words. I paused for a moment and looked elsewhere, _anywhere_ but in the doctor's eyes. "You know… some of us aren't lucky enough to find out where we're supposed to be heading in life, what our real destiny is. My father did. He knew that he was supposed to go into the police force, to save people from making mistakes and whatnot. I've never known that kind of certainty. I've never really known exactly what it was that I was supposed to be doing with my life. But I'm glad for that, as crazy as that sounds. Granted, we may not have had the best relationship, but I was _just like him_. We both never really shared our feelings to each other, even in our times of need. We fought a lot, and it was mostly about my appearance, but most of the time we were fairly happy. And then one more screaming argument, and _bam_. He up and dies on me. And it's all my fault. _It's all my fault._" I blinked away the dry tears that were starting to come. I smiled meekly over at the doctor. "I'm sorry. You probably never get blubbering girls with stories like this. And also ones whose stories don't even make any sense. I'm really sorry," I apologized again but kept looking at the man sitting next to me.

He looked as though he might cry at any moment, or something. I internally cursed myself for making him feel so much for me. No one should have to feel this way, especially if it's not even for yourself or something that you yourself have done or have happened to you.

"No, it's fine. On the contrary, there are many people who feel the same way you do. The guilt, the helplessness… It's a hard thing to deal with. I would know, I myself can empathize with you somewhat."

"Really?" I asked sadly, feeling on the verge of crying still.

"Really. I had a brother die when I was in college. I was almost never home, and never called much. He was younger than me, and still in high school back home, as a junior." The doctor paused. "He died in a plane crash. He was on the plane to Florida, going to meet his friend who had moved only a few months previous, when it just… crashed. It was due to engine failure that it fell down from the sky." There was another pause in his story. "So, you see? I can definitely relate to you. I, also, feel like it was my fault that he died, like had I been home more to see him, then maybe I could have prevented it."

I didn't say anything for a moment. The doctor and I were alike. Both of us relatively young when our tragedies happened, both feeling faulty. It's a terrible situation to be in, and I definitely don't recommend it to anyone out there.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you and your family," I finally said, sounding lame, even to myself. But it was actually the only thing I could think of to say to him.

"Ditto," he said, smiling, and got out of the chair to go back to his work. I decided to do the same, and left the hospital, basically just a shell, lifeless.

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I was at Charlie's funeral now. And it felt like my world was going to come crashing down on me once again.

Renée called me the morning of the funeral. I answered, she talked for a little while, and when she realized that I wasn't really answering _or_ paying attention, she asked me what the hell was going on with me.

I told her it was nothing. But when she kept prodding, I couldn't hold it inside me anymore. It just came out. I spilled out everything, about our fights, the screaming, and how Charlie had had a heart attack and died.

"_What…?_" she asked in a shocked voice when I told her the last part. "He… died? Bu-but how could he… _die_? I just… I just talked to him last week… Oh my god…"

She sounded like she couldn't breathe, like she was gasping for air.

Which she probably was.

After a moment or two, I heard her start to cry. I could picture her on the sofa of the hotel room, in Hawaii, where she was vacationing with Phil right now. I imagined her sitting there with her feet curled underneath her legs. She'd be crying her eyes out, holding her hand over mouth, gasping for air.

"…Mom?" I asked hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

No answer. I heard a click.

She'd actually hung up on me.

I stared at the receiver in my hand for a minute, hurt that my own mother would actually hang up on me. But, then again, could I really blame her? I mean, I'd just told her that her ex-husband was dead and then asked if she was okay. It was sort of insensitive, I guess.

I glanced at the clock. The funeral would be starting soon, so I decided to leave.

So there I was, staring at the coffin, after everybody had left, after they'd said their condolences to me.

Staring, blankly, I felt like I could, right about then, die. There was no more reason to live. Charlie was the last thing in this world that was actually keeping me alive. With him there, I felt like there was a reason for living, even if I never talked to him very often. But, still, at least he was _there_.

I wanted to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge right this second.

"Please don't."

It was the same velvet-like voice that I'd been missing out on for twenty-six years.

I'd almost forgotten that he could read my mind now.

"Why not?" I asked stubbornly, testing his nerve. "You're not with me anymore, so what does it matter? Everyone I've ever loved has just moved on from me. So what does it matter?" I was breathing hard now, and I'm fairly certain that he could tell.

I didn't hear anything for a moment. He was contemplating what to say, what the right words were, I could tell. I'd known him too well to _not _be able to know what he was doing.

"If I'm not mistaken, _you're _the one who left _me_…" he said softly.

I turned around to face him, glaring. "Yeah, well, _you're _the one who cheated on me with someone else."

"Bella, you know I did nothing of the sort." His face was grim.

I kept my face straight and slowly walked past him. "So why are you here?" I asked, changing the subject.

"I just… I thought we could talk."

I turned abruptly to face him once again.

"_Now_ you want to talk? After twenty-six _years_?"

I scoffed.

"Forget it," I told him, before walking away, but this time much faster.

But, apparently, it wasn't fast enough. Edward caught me by the arm, sending electricity throughout my entire body. I quickly tried to shake off the feeling, but it wouldn't _go away_. Damn it.

"Bella, please, just _wait_."

Oh, god, he is stubborn.

Dry tears were starting to form in my eyes. Breathing hard still, I started to stare at the ground. It was too hard to look in his face when I needed to say something coherently to him.

"Edward, please, just _leave_, okay?" And with that, I pulled out of his grasp, and turned to walk away again, like the coward that I was.

"I can't. It's too hard to stay away from you. I love you too much to let this go on any longer."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

I wanted to slap him. I wanted to slap him for a million things. For making me go through this torture, for making me think that he was ever unfaithful… for making me never be able to love anyone the way I love him.

An eternal kind of love.

"…Let _what_ go on any longer?" I asked stupidly, still faced the opposite way.

"I can't let you _hate_ me anymore. It hurts too much. You can't even _imagine_…"

"I… I don't… _hate _you." I turned to face him but kept my head to the ground until he said something next.

My head snapped up when he finally did.

"Really? 'Cause I was under the impression that you _did,_" he said softly. I looked at him some more. He was smirking a tiny bit, his eyebrows raised.

I waited a moment in silence for him to speak again.

"So… if you don't hate me… then does this mean you forgive me…?"

I glared at him, incredulous and angry. Furiously, I speed-walked away from him. I mean, honestly, could he _really_ be expected to be forgiven right away, after seeing him for the first time in twenty-six _years_? No. He couldn't. And, I, for certain, wasn't about to cave in.

Edward caught my arm and whipped me around, crashing his lips to mine in a kiss that was so passionate—so _amazing_—that it left me completely breathless.

He was tangling his hand in my hair, while the other one was on my face. I had absolutely no control whatsoever at what I did next, as my arms slowly wrapped around his neck. The feeling that I got in this one kiss was like nothing I had ever felt before in my entire life.

Inhaling the amazing scent radiating off of his skin, I was melting in his arms.

And, before I even knew it, we were there, lying on the ground, Edward on top of me. It was… _awkward_, to say the least. But, at the same time, I couldn't _bear _being apart from him again. It would hurt too much for words.

And suddenly, I wasn't angry anymore. I no longer felt like an empty shell, but actually felt _whole_ again. And it was… _amazing_.

And just like that… he was forgiven.

We finally pulled apart from each other, and Edward rolled off of me and to the right, breathing hard, whilst I did the same. My right hand was over my chest, while the left one was just laying on the ground.

After a moment or two, Edward rolled onto his side, and, propping himself up onto his elbow, started to stare at me.

I was getting antsy there, having him stare at me. It was kind of creepy, actually. "What is it?" I asked nervously, and glance over at him, through the corner of my eye. He was smirking from ear to ear.

"You… forgive me?" he asked.

"How-" I started to ask, before he took his hand that wasn't being used to hold himself up, and pointed to his forehead.

"Remember?" he said with a smile.

"Jerk," I muttered, returning his grin. "You aren't supposed to do that. It's not very polite, you know," I scolded, and, turning on my side, mimicked his position.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is, but, hey, what can I say? I can't help myself. You're too interesting for me to _not_ know what's going on in there." He was still smiling, most likely overcome by all the euphoria.

I thought about it for a moment. "Well, yeah, but you _could_ always just _ask_ me what I'm thinking, instead of, you know, going in there uninvited," I replied, keeping the conversation relatively light.

Edward placed his hand on mine, which was on the ground now, seeing as how I'd copied his position only moments before. "True," he said, pointing his finger toward the sky as if he'd just shouted "Eureka!" or something of the sort. "But then, what's the point of having a gift if you can't ever use it, hmm?"

"I guess," I returned, trying to be indifferent, and flopped onto my back once again.

"Oh no you don't," he growled playfully and wrapped his arm across my body to pull me closer to him. "You're not getting away from me, not again—not this time, not _ever_," he said, and grinned.

I smiled hugely, grinning from ear to ear. "Good," I said, and smiled once again, before taking his face in my hand and pulling his lips to mine. "'Cause I wasn't going to let you anyway."

I kissed him again, succumbing to all the feelings that were inside of me now. It was… too remarkable for words.

It was as we were kissing that I felt something splash onto my cheek. I hated to break it, but looked up anyway, to figure out what, exactly, it was. And, can you guess? Snow.

I remember when I first moved to Forks. When it snowed after I first arrived in that January. I remember hating the snow, after having never seen it before in my life, with the exception of on TV. It was amazing how, now, after so many years, I had become accustomed to it over time.

I smiled again and looked Edward in the eyes before bringing our lips together once again.

The snow continued to fall down on Edward and me as we kissed each other, trying to make up for lost time. And somehow, I had a feeling we'd be able to do that. Hey, we had eternity, right?

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**A/N:** zomg, the last chapter EVER!! So sad…. :( Aww, man, now I'm super sad. But have no fear, all my loverlies out there, for there will be more stories by me coming soon!!! And, no, sorry to disappoint any total BellaxJacob lovers out there, but I would never be able to write one of those, it'd be too painful. I mean, seriously, it's just not natural, you know? yeah… So, _that_ won't be happenin' any time soon. At least not by me, anyway.

Anyways, though, hope you were fairly satisfied with the ending. Yes? No? Well, either way, tell me in a review or PM me if that's what the situation calls for. Truth be told, this is the first fanfic that I've finished, and now it's actually complete. The only things that I've ever finished, writing-wise, are my own stories, and it's a lot harder to end a story when it's not with characters that you _actually _created. So yeah. That's that.

Fear not, though, I'm fairly certain that I already know which of my new fanfic ideas that I'll be working on next. And, let me tell you now: it's completely different from anything else that I've already seen on here. So that's good, yes? Right. Anyways, have fun reading, yeah? Yeah… :)

Til next time!

FYI: I should have the playlist and FAQ up soon, in case anyone out there is interested. :) Buh bye now! -hugs and kisses-

FYI #2: I'm not even really sure if I like the last chapter or not, but it really needed to be ended and so this is just how it is. I just don't like that it's so sudden… or is it? -eyebrow raise- -shrug- I dunno. Anyway, LEAVE REVIEWS, k? Kay!!!!!!!!

scribblyjane07 a.k.a. trinatwilight11

**Fin.**


	25. HFaNL FAQ!

Q: so not fair! alice shouldnt be helping him that much! and if it didnt happen then why on earth would mike have seen that? wait.. did mike see them hugging and faked the kissing part? poor bella! and stupid edward! sheesh!

A: muahhahahahahahaha… someone actually figured it out… nice job, ridiculouskopec!

Q: oh my god, steven straight sings?

A: omg, you have _no idea_ how much that made me laugh and smile when I read this… lol, yup, if you've ever seen his movie _Undiscovered_, he's a musician in there, so he sings in it a good portion of the time… go watch it! lol

Q: OMG edwards a male...HORE!

A: hahahahha…! yup, that made me laugh so much when I read this… lol… but, actually, no, he's not really a male whore, I just made it seem that way. Lol hehehe…

Q: so...he didn't cheat on her? hmm...interesting...

A: nope, he never actually cheated on her.

Q: its good to know that Edward didn't actually cheat on Bella, and that I no longer have to hate his guts lol

A: -gasp- how could you _ever_ even _think_ about hating Edward and his pretty guts?! Lol, j/k, yeah, "Edward Cullen: don't hate him because he's beautiful…" lol, I made an avatar saying this… lol Go to my homepage (which is in my profile) and you can find a whole bunch of avatars there that are either ones I've made or ones that are just my faves… : )

Q: wow nice... umm yea i think bella is right to a certain extent. yes edward should have come himself but he was taking drastic measures to try to convince her and i htoulght that was sweet. i personally though your story was great but i (surprisingly) dont have any new ideas for the continuation of the story. if i do i will pm you! luv j!

A: Yeah, my friend and I were talking about it the other day, and she was agreeing with me that he definitely shouldn't have just sent Gabrielle to go talk to Bella, but she also said that it was pretty much the only way to get Bella to stop being so p/o-ed at Edward. So, yes, Edward was right in sending Gabrielle to talk to Bella, but at the same time, it's also very un-courageous. He should have tried and talked to her himself, just one more time.

Q: 'along with my old life' means... what? how did that talk change her life? TELL ME!

A: Alright, it seems that I have some explaining to do here with this. What that means is that she's shutting the door on her old life, and trying to move on from it. It's sort of like the whole thing about "If you shut one door, you open a window," and that's like what Bella was doing here, moving on from her old life. Hope this helped. : )

Q: oh... bellas not going to forgive edward yet?? well then what is she going to do?? update soon please!! and what is edward going to do to get bella to forgive him?!?

A: Nope, she's not forgiving him yet. You have to _earn_ back trust. It takes a lot to forgive someone when you're under the impression that they did something horrible to you, even after you find out it's not really true. Besides, Bella already forgave Edward once in this story, right at the very beginning, and she did that with almost no persuasion. It's not likely that she could forgive him that easily once again. And as for the other questions, I guess you'll just have to see what happens, only _I _really know for sure… muahahahahah… lol, j/k …

By the way, do you remember the quote from chapter four entitled _Forgiveness?_ There's a quote in there right after Bella asks Edward to change her and he says yes, and then Edward explains his answer. Here's the snippet:

"Yes," he said simply and looked back up at me. "Bella, I can't afford to lose you again. Who knows how long it would take for you to forgive me then?" he mused, and smiled hugely.

Q: I'm confused. So what did Mike see?

A: Alright, um, well, let's see here. Well, when Mike went to Alaska, all he really saw was Gabrielle and Edward hugging, not kissing, or anything like that. That's basically it.


	26. HFaNL PLAYLIST!

**PLAYLIST**!!!! YAY!!! Btw, leave some reviews on how you liked or didn't like the ending, k? yeah… that'd be nice, since, like, the day after I posted the last chapter it was the story was all the way back like five pages, so that so wasn't cool. Anyway, review, k? k… Enjoy!

"Say the Word" by The Classic Crime

"All the Memories" by The Classic Crime

"What You Wish For" by Guster

"Come What May" from Moulin Rouge

"All Hail the Heartbreaker" by The Spill Canvas

"You're Still You" by Josh Groban

"Heavily Broken" by The Veronicas

"Clair de Lune" by Debussy

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

"Against All Odds" by Phil Collins

"El Tango Del Roxanne" (Christian's part) from Moulin Rouge

"Hurt" by Christina Aguilera

"Wreck of the Day" by Anna Nalick

"Bleed" by Anna Nalick

"Catalyst" by Anna Nalick

"Fall Away" by The Fray

"Heaven Forbid" by The Fray

"Some Things Never Change" by The Forecast

"Time After Time" by Quietdrive

**A/N: **and voila! There you go, and "Hope For a New Love" is finally finished…! Amazing, huh? Yeah, totally. You know, I really wish I were one of those fanfic authors that can just update with chapters at a time and pretty much every day because it's just so easy for them to write their story, it's just that easy to write. It makes me mad. Ugh. Although, I do love reading stories like that. They make me happy when I'm actually reading them, but not when I can't be like them. Oh well. Guess I'll just have to deal, huh? Yeah. Anyways, look out for my new stuff that should be coming soon, seeing as how the trimester is quickly coming to an end, and so I should have more time to write, since the end of the tri is next Thursday. Yay! -rejoices- Anyway, have fun reading, everybody!!! Love ya'll…!

scribblyjane07 (formally known as trinatwilight11)


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